“Pay attention, Job, and listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak up, for I want to justify you.
But if not, then listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” Job 33:31-33
Chapter 33 of Job is his “friend” Elihu’s response to Job’s troubles. But look at these last three verses, although here coming from another human whose advice can be fallible, what if we heard them coming from the Lord Himself? How beneficial would this advice be?
It would also help to put your name in place of Job’s as it makes it a very personal relationship between you and Abba. Truth is we should pay better attention when we come into the presence of the Lord. What if we would boldly enter His throne room of grace (Hebrews 4:16) wanting to listen to what He has to say to us rather than what we want to say to Him? Perhaps we would hear the response of Him encouraging us to tell Him what is on our hearts because He wants to declare us justified. And although this was written in the Old Covenant, those of us who have accepted Jesus are now declares justified through Christ.
So then the last verse takes on a whole new meaning when it says, “but if not” for we are reminded we can now boldly enter His presence without having to try to make ourselves right, for we already have been declared the righteousness of God through Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can enter as His beloved child and we don’t have to say a thing, because He knows our hearts and loves us. We enter with the desire to just hear His voice of comfort and wisdom knowing He knows what is best for us and exactly what we need. We can then also leave His presence knowing His favor and wisdom go with us to face whatever lies ahead with grace and decrement to fulfill His will.
How awesome this thought may be, when we enter with grateful, humble receiving hearts it will become a reality and untold blessings!
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