When He is at work in the north, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the south, I cannot see Him.He works to the north, but I can’t see him. He turns south, but I can’t catch a glimpse of him.On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:On the left hand, when he doth work, but I cannot behold him; He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.
4 sermons cite this verse
… I cannot perceive him when he acts on the left. I cannot behold him. he turns on the right. I cannot see him, but look at the faith. He knows the way I take. When he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to his path. I have kept his way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the command of his lips. I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. pause and pray with me we have sung of your great names and the names of your son our father and even some names of the spirit who works within us and fills us with power and encouragement and today we speak to you through Christ not because of our deserving to do so but because of him who has opened the way to you through his blood. Thank you sincerely, our Father, for the cross where we first saw the light and the burden of our hearts rolled away. …
… If I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him. When he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way that I take. And when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps. I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips. I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. As we meditate on not only these words of Job, but the story of Job, simply want to ask the question, why? Why? Let's begin our sermon with the seminary second. You all know that every moment of sermon, there's some time when we dig into the seminary language and explore what we learn in school. The question of why is the seminary issue of theodicy. Let the church say theodicy. Theodicy is the question of the justice or the righteousness of God in allowing or establishing moral or physical evil in our lives and across the earth. …
… and backward, but I cannot perceive him. On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him, he hideth himself on the right hand, I can't see him. Here's old Job. I mean, in the darkest of suffering. Maybe God's over here. No, he's not over here. Maybe he's back here. No, he's not over here. Maybe he's over here. No, he's not there. Maybe he's over here. God, where are you? Where are you, God? I don't understand. God, what is going on? I sure would like to talk to you, God. I want to know. Tell me why. As a pastor, I've been asked that question so many times. Why, pastor? Why? Why? And I can't answer the question why, because why is God's question. How is our question? How are we going to react? God doesn't tell us the whys. You're going to find that many of God's saints have gone into darkness. I mean deep darkness. And they've not known why. Turn to Isaiah 50. …
… FIND GOD. GO DOWN TO VERSE EIGHT, BEHOLD, I GO FORWARD, BUT HE'S NOT THERE, BACKWARD, BUT I CANNOT, UH, PERCEIVE HIM ON THE LEFT HAND, WHERE HE DOTH WORK, BUT I CANNOT BEHOLD HIM. HE HIDETH HIMSELF ON THE RIGHT HAND. WHERE IS GOD? HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE? SEE, JOB, SOB, NOT ONLY DOES HE HAVE MISERY, HE HAS MYSTERY. IT JUST DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO HIM. YOU KNOW, WE CAN BEAR ALMOST ANYTHING, WE THINK, IF WE JUST KNOW WHY. AS A PASTOR, I'VE GONE TO SO MANY FUNERALS, SO MANY HOSPITALS, SO MANY CHILDREN'S WARS. I'VE HAD GOOD, STRONG DADS COME UP TO ME WITH, UH, TEARS BRIMMING IN THEIR EYES AND THEIR CHIN QUIVERING, AND THEY TAKE ME BY THE LAPEL AND SAY, PASTOR, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO MY CHILD? WHY, PASTOR? WHY? WE WANT TO KNOW WHY. WHERE IS GOD? LEARN THIS ABOUT LIFE. LIFE IS NOT A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED. IT IS A MYSTERY TO BE LIVED. THAT'S WHAT THE BOOK OF JOB IS TELLING US. …