God Speaks of Nature and Its Beings
39 “Do you know the time the [a]mountain goats give birth?
Do you observe the calving of the deer?
2 “Can you count the months they fulfill,
Or do you know the time they give birth?
3 “They kneel down, they bring forth their young,
They get rid of their labor pains.
4 “Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field;
They leave and do not return to them.5 “Who sent out the wild donkey free?
And who loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 To whom I gave the wilderness for a home
And the salt land for his dwelling place?
7 “He scorns the tumult of the city,
The shoutings of the driver he does not hear.
8 “He explores the mountains for his pasture
And searches after every green thing.
9 “Will the wild ox consent to serve you,
Or will he spend the night at your manger?
10 “Can you bind the wild ox in a furrow with [b]ropes,
Or will he harrow the valleys after you?
11 “Will you trust him because his strength is great
And leave your labor to him?
12 “Will you have faith in him that he will return your [c]grain
And gather it from your threshing floor?
This passage begins with more things Job doesn’t know, but then begins to include things Job can’t do either. These include things like taming a wild ox or donkey, or predicting when wild animals will give birth. Even our own offspring are terribly unpredictable in their arrival, let alone those of the wildlife.
There are things only God can do, and this is a theme that continues in our lives as well. It’s not just the incredible natural phenomena that we see around us, but even certain things God asks us to do. Have you ever felt like God was asking too much, like it was something you just couldn’t do? This was what Gideon faced when God asked him to rid Israel of their enemies.
This wasn’t a Gideon-sized task, it was a God-sized task, and that’s the way God wants to work in our lives. He doesn’t want us taking credit for everything, lest we become puffed up with pride. Rather, God wants to do the incredible in and through us so that He gets the glory, and so that we are living testimonies of His love and power.
So don’t be afraid when God says he wants to use you to move mountains. You’re not strong enough or smart enough… but God is more than enough for anything that He’s called you to. “Lean not on your own understanding,” but trust in His strength and wisdom to win the day!