Scripture Focus: Job 39.1, 5, 9, 13, 18-19, 26-27
1 “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth?
Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?
5 “Who let the wild donkey go free?
Who untied its ropes?
9 “Will the wild ox consent to serve you?
Will it stay by your manger at night?
13 “The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully,
though they cannot compare
with the wings and feathers of the stork.
18 Yet when she spreads her feathers to run,
she laughs at horse and rider.
19 “Do you give the horse its strength
or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?
26 “Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom
and spread its wings toward the south?
27 Does the eagle soar at your command
and build its nest on high?
Reflection: A God Who Celebrates
By John Tillman
In Genesis, we read, “And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1.25) What we read in Job is an exponential expansion that goes beyond “good” to demonstrate God’s great pleasure in all creatures, great and small.
In Job, we see God thrilling in his creation. Each creature he mentions is spoken of with deep affection and pride. God shows he values diversity in his distribution of skills and power to the many different species which he singles out to Job.
God’s intense boasting is intentionally intimidating. However, we also see his tender love for these creatures. He does not only single out animals we might consider majestic, such as the warhorse. His loving gaze points out to us mountain goats and fawns tenderly raising their young. God implies that it is he who unties the donkey, liberating it from enslavement to run free in the desert.
Our God teaches goats to be tender.
Our God loosens the bonds of donkeys to run free.
Our God rejoices in the speed of the unwieldy and unwise ostrich.
God called creatures “good” in Genesis. God called humanity’s addition to creation “Very good.” (Genesis 1.26-31)
God celebrates the diversity and wondrous variety of the animals of creation, yet his rejoicing over us is more, higher, greater. The book of Job may end with God bragging to men about animals, but it began with God bragging about a man (Job 1.8) before the courts of Heaven.
What is humanity that he is mindful of us? We are a little lower than the angels. We are the kings and queens of the Earth—the rightful rulers of nature. (Psalm 8.4-9) We are the focus of Christ’s loving mission to Earth and of Christ’s advocacy before Heaven on our behalf. (1 John 2.1-2; Matthew 10.32-33)
O God, we are unworthy creatures who rejoice that you rejoice over us.
May we be humbled by your great power and lifted up by your great love.
Though we are tough and hard-headed as goats, teach us to be tender.
Though we are unwieldy and unwise as the ostrich, give us grace to run in the path of your commands.
Though we are enslaved to this world’s sins, liberate us like the wild donkey to celebrate in the desert.
Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Yours are the heavens, the earth is also yours; you laid the foundations of the world and all that is in it. — Psalm 89.11
– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.
Today’s Readings
Job 39 (Listen 2:47)
Psalm 25 (Listen 218)
Read more about Haunting Spirit
The Holy Spirit haunts us with hope and love. He brings conviction but never shame or disdain.
Read more about Christ, Our “If Only…”
Thank God that he is the God who does the unthinkable on behalf of the unworthy.
