When God Snapped His Fingers

My first job was at a Tanning Salon. I would go in after school and close up shop at the end of the night. I had lots of free time waiting for customers to arrive so I started reading my bible. That was the first time in my life that I read my bible on a consistent basis. My parents had just got divorced and I needed comfort. So what book did I start reading? 

Job. :)

I remember reading chapter after chapter wondering when this guys would catch a break and when his friends would shut up and be nice! I stuck with it and in chapter 38 the Lord speaks, 

^"1 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

 ² “Who is this that obscures my plans
   with words without knowledge?
³ Brace yourself like a man;
   I will question you,
   and you shall answer me"

I pictured God snapping his fingers three times in a Z pattern saying, "I know you just didn't!" 

:)

He proceeds to declare who He is and what He can do. At the time, it felt good to know that God was bigger than my circumstances.

 ⁸ “Who shut up the sea behind doors
   when it burst forth from the womb,
⁹ when I made the clouds its garment
   and wrapped it in thick darkness,
¹⁰ when I fixed limits for it
   and set its doors and bars in place,
¹¹ when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
   here is where your proud waves halt’?"

After two chapters of God explaining how awesome he is, Job makes his first reply. I am sure his knees were shaking. His voice cracking,

 ⁴ “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?
   I put my hand over my mouth.
⁵ I spoke once, but I have no answer—
   twice, but I will say no more.” 

The Lord continues to describe His majesty. Then Job has thought about what he wants to say and is ready to answer,

 ² “I know that you can do all things;
   no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
³ You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
   Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
   things too wonderful for me to know.

 ⁴ “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
   I will question you,
   and you shall answer me.’
⁵ My ears had heard of you
   but now my eyes have seen you.
⁶ Therefore I despise myself
   and repent in dust and ashes.”

Not long after I started reading the bible and forming a true relationship with God, I graduated high school and left home for college. 

-People distracted me from Him

-New opportunities distracted me from Him

-Anger and bitterness distracted me from Him

For many years I was obsessed with independence and control. I lived as if I set the world in motion.

I read these chapters for the 2nd time yesterday, 10 years after I first read them. As soon as my eyes scanned verse 6 of chapter 42, my heart dropped.

I am currently seeking surrender but all I could say after reading that verse was, "I repent God. I repent for all those years I lived as if you were not God and I repent for the moments in the days, weeks and years to come when I will not submit to Your authority. Forgive me Lord."

I love it when scriptures come alive and minister to you in different stages of life. Today, I am thankful God is bigger than my circumstances, He is in control and I am not.