Who am I that I should question the order and nature of life? God is good, God is gracious, God is merciful, and great is our God. So tell me why do I find myself questioning “why us?” My earthly father would whisper in my ear “why not us!” See the difference? I am questioning God, my dad was agreeing with God.
I am reminded by several passages of scripture from the book of Job. Job a man that was thrown into turmoil when God allowed Satan to test him. In the 7th chapter of Job verse 7-10:
(7) Oh remember that my life is a breath: Mine eye shall no more see good. (8) The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more; Thine eyes shall be upon me, but I shall not be. (9) As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, So he that goeth down to Sheol shall come up no more. (10) He shall return no more to his house, Neither shall his place know him any more.

At this point, Job turned from talking to his friends and began speaking directly to God. Job called on God to remember him in his dire condition and terrible circumstance in life. Job literally tells God that he will never see good things again. I think sometimes we get like that. We get to the point when all is falling down around us when life or death has dealt us a blow that we surely do not believe we can endure we loudly exclaim “I WILL NEVER SEE GOOD THINGS AGAIN!”
When my dad passed away 20 years ago this past May I thought to myself “now what?” Dad was a wonderful man of God. He loved his Lord and devoted his adult life to following God and making sure that his family followed with him. Dad died a Christian in the correct relationship with God. Dad understood and followed the instruction from Heb. 12:1-2a

(1) “Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2a) looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith,…”

My thoughts were who do I call now when everything seems to be going wrong and nothing is working the way it should be? Where do I turn when I need an answer to a difficult problem? How do we go on, moving forward when you lose someone so close and important to you?
The answer to all of those questions in some form is found in the text from Job chapter 7. Job was at this place of questioning. He was asking bemoaning all that had been placed on him. He was in true despair. He literally envisioned a time when his life living on this planet would be no more. Yet out of everything that Job was going through, out of all the difficulties that had been wrought in his life, Job gives us the answer.
Job was talking to God. There it is, there’s the application for us today, talk to God. Every child of God should have a deep and meaningful prayer life. (Mt.6:5-13; Lk.11:1-4; 1Cor.14:15; Eph.6:18; Phil.4:6; 1Thess.5:17; 1Ti.2:8; Jas.5:13-18) Prayer touches and moves the heart of God. It strengthens us and makes us more dependent upon God. It connects us with our Father in heaven. Powerful things can happen when we pray.
Job was not just talking to God he was “honestly, openly” talking to God. Do not hold back when you talk to God. He knows all, sees all, and understands all. You can be open and honest, be specific about your feelings, your wants/desires, your sin. But above all approach the throne in humility. Job finally understood that when God listened to Job and then “out of the whirlwind” challenged and questioned Job (Job 38-41). I encourage to read those chapters, because from it you will come face to face with the power of our Creator. Job answered God in humility from these verses in chapter 42:
(42:1) Then Job answered Jehovah, and said, (2) I know that thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of thine can be restrained. (3) Who is this that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that which I understood not, Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. (4) Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak; I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. (5) I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; But now mine eye seeth thee: (6) Wherefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.

So how frequently do I pray, we pray? Because of the events over the past 2 months I have prayed more than ever before. I am ashamed that my prayer life was not stronger and that it took the loss of life from a wonderful young man, and the daily struggle seeing his wonderfully faithful wife deal with tragedy for me to call on God more. I repent!
“Please Lord never let me become so dependent on myself that I fail to understand and neglect my absolute reliance on you. Please help me to be honest with you, speaking to you from the depth of my anguish to height of my joy. Please help me to extol the wonderful mercies and grace of our Creator and always show forth you in my life in all that I do and say. I know your desire is for us all to be at home with you one day, please help me in my selfishness of wanting my earthly pain to go away and fix my little girl’s heart turn into glory and honor to you. You are to be praised, you are too glorified, in life and in death we only seek to serve you. In Jesus name, amen.”