19 Jun: God Is Greater
Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you. Job 40:15
Scripture Reading: Job 40:15–24
Imagine standing beneath a mural so large that it fills your field of view. Towering dinosaurs stretch across the scene, their massive bodies reminding you how small a person can feel in comparison. Artist Karen Carr paints these ancient creatures in breathtaking detail. One of her largest works stands more than twenty feet high and sixty feet long. It took an entire team to assemble it piece by piece at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
A display like that leaves an impression. It gives a sense of scale that is difficult to ignore. Reading God’s description of Behemoth in Job produces a similar reaction.“Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox” (Job 40:15).
God describes a creature of immense strength. Behemoth grazed peacefully in the fields, yet his power was unmistakable. His tail moved like a cedar tree. His bones were compared to tubes of bronze and rods of iron (verse 17–18). The hills provided food for him, while wild animals played nearby. He rested among the reeds and marshes, undisturbed by the world around him (verses 20–22). Even when rivers swelled and waters rushed around him, Behemoth remained untroubled (verse 23).
Then God made an important point: “He is the first of the works of God; let him who made him bring near his sword” (verse 19). No human being could master such a creature. The One who created him could.
God spoke these words to Job at a time when sorrow and confusion had narrowed his perspective. Job had endured devastating loss. Questions filled his mind, and answers seemed far away. The weight of his circumstances became so great that he began challenging God’s ways.
Instead of explaining every detail of Job’s suffering, God directed his attention to His power, wisdom, and authority. Through examples like Behemoth, God reminded Job that the One who governs creation is never overwhelmed by anything that overwhelms us.
By the end of the conversation, Job saw things differently. He replied,“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).
The problems Job faced were real. His pain was real. Yet God was greater still. The same truth remains today. The challenges that seem impossible to us are never beyond God’s reach. When answers are slow in coming and circumstances feel larger than life, we can rest in the confidence that the Creator who rules over Behemoth also holds every detail of our lives in His hands.
By: Laura Reszka
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Reflect & Pray
Which is bigger, your worst problem or the God who made everything? How does your view of God affect the way in which you handle problems?
Dear God, I believe You can help me with the things I’m facing today. Help me to be open to Your power and goodness when I feel overwhelmed by trouble.