Sermon 43, Job 11:7-12
“In short, our wisdom is to listen to God and simply follow what he says and not go beyond that.”
I think that I am going to leave the Calvin quotes at just that one today as I think that is enough and sufficient for me to think about.
The quote comes from thinking about Zophar’s instruction that we can’t possibly fathom God’s full wisdom and power and that it’s futile to even try.
I am reminded of the line from Forrest Gump, when he becomes a star in the military:
It is contrasting to think of this advice in the modern world which provides a backdrop of social media influencers and self-help gurus. I wrote previously that my YouTube algorithm has gotten taken over by self-help videos that have the aim of showing me their version of wisdom with the goal of achieving more satisfaction. As an aside, my current fascination with my own health and fitness is probably, in part, fueled by these videos.
Can it be much simpler than all of that? Calvin, from scripture, says most definitely “yes”. All I have to do is pay attention to scripture and the natural word around me, then apply the instructions that are revealed to me to my life. In fact that is all I have to, or should do. This is actually attractive because it’s simple. It means that I have intellectual satisfaction available to me, which is important. But I also don’t have to be anxious about or rely on inner wisdom, or the wisdom of other people.
Between Epiphany and Septuagisima I am reading 2 Kings. I think that I chose to do that reading after finishing the 12 minor prophets and wanting to know more about the history going on at the time of those prophets. Regardless, the book so far is an amazing collection of really interesting short stories.