The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 322

o/Other m1111,,, Tho prayer ort~e selfish is not heard. Every t,i1ne we repeat the Lord's l>rayer we romii;ifl. .ourselves that ou,: brespl!sses a.re (orgi ven in proportion a.s we forgi v11 those 'fhO ,tr~po.sa against, us, 1l'hfa is' the one, the only thing in the pra.yer that Obrist soleot~d. for ernplmtic comment, adding,'.' If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Fa~ber forgive your trespasses" (Matt. vi, 15). II. IT MAY DE ONLY APP,).RENTLY UNHEAKD, .1. Because lhere is 110 audible ruponse. Our voice goes out into tho silence. We strain our earH for one word of reply, but no sound rea~bes us ... Though we spread ant our hands and cry aloud,- the calm heavens are stilLanJ. app~rently irresponsive. But, then, we are foolish if we expect an anHwer that shal\ be audible' to our bodily ears, for God is a Spirit. Moreover, if we t.rust him, we should not think Lhat.. he does not hear when he does not speak. Silence is not deafness, 2.· Because there ia no immediate relief. At present all seems a.s it wa.s before we pmy!)d. D?es it ~i>t appear as tho1,1gh the cry_ had been wasted on the air? W r3 have po learn p:i,tiel)ce. It may be well tha.t the tnal should last. a little longer. In the enq. God wm deliver hi~ suffering_ chil<lren _who trust themselves to him, bL:t he may not' give them ,sudden and immediate relief. 3. Because the response is not what we expected.'., ,God' 'wi,11 not be dictated to. He will use his own judgment in his reply to llll. . He may give the very thing we ask for. , But if that be not fitting be will reply in .some _other .'flay. Assuredly he will rep1y. Therefore we must take a wiJer view of hi/! a~tion, and, be prepared to receive God's response in new and unlooked~for forms. Instead of removing 'the trouble he may give strength to bear it. Instead of prosperity he may give peace. Then we have no right to think our cry lost and neglected._ It is )leard.-,-W. F. A. Ver; 8.-The.fenced ~ay. L Gon HAS A BIGHT TO FE.NOE 1JP OUR WAY. Job's complafot is 'sad, but it does not here indicate an injustice. It is hard to be checked and thwarted. Still God is our Master, and he bas a right to choose our inheritance for us, setting. us in a large place, oi: in a-narrow '!Nay, as he thinks best. When we cowplai11, weJorget that our will is not the supreme arbiter of our destiny. If God stops-our path we have to remember that we are on his la.nd, and have no right of wa.y across it. .When, in his ~aunty, he, sets us free to roam over his domain, this is a favour for wb.foh we JUay well give tbawi.s; _it is no privilege that we ca.n demand. '!'he opportu'nities Qf life,-e.nd our freedom to w,e them, are given by God; and he who gives may withhold. , _ .• . > II. GOD ,MAY .FENCE UP OUR WAY TO PREVENT US-FROM STRAYING. We blunder in the darkness.·' '!'here iu-e precipices over which we may fall, jungles in which we may become :victims t6prowling enemies, By-path Meadows that may lead us to Doubting Castle, 'l'h_erefore ·,God shuts us· in. We are anno!fed at the restraint, but it is for our Boul's preservation. Libei-ty is riot always good. _God sees when it may be abused; then in his great n:iercy he withdraws it. Thus the ambitious man fails to reach the giddy height from which he would soon be flung headlong to ruin. Business does not bring op.e in the wealth that was expected, for God sees that money is becoming an idol, Many del\gbts. are shut. off, and a man looks over· the fence with great envy towards them'; but GQd knows that they would be poison and death to him. ]JI. GOD BOJ\IETiMES FENCES Ul'. OUR WAY. FOR DISCl.PLlNE OR l'UNISWlENT. We feel ourselves checked and hindered on every side. OL1r busy activity is stopped. Even our good designs are frustrated. We find it hard to account for such treatment. , Possibly it _is just, ~he punishment of our sins. This has come not as. direct pain and 'loss, b11t as bindranc~ and failure. We feel like the Egyptians when their chariot- wheels stuck in the bed of the sea. But it may be that the cause lies not so much in sin as in a need of wholesome discipli~e. Perhaps we can serve God better by patient endurance than by vigorous activity. Then what looks lik& failure is really the divinely cho~en method of su,;icesa. He fences up our way that we may learn to aerve by 'f/aiting: IV. Gon WJIO FENOJ!i8 UP OUl\ WAY ALSO. OPENS IT. The fence is but a temporary ~~ructure--not a wall. God checks us for a se,1son that we may use our liberty, when f~ is restored, with the more enthusiastic energy. While he is fencing up one way he is' opening out a new way. We wonder why we are hindered, but if we would but lift ~p our eyes we might see another path,, leading Ull tQ a f11.r more noble and Christ-like 836 THE 'BOOK OF JOB. [on. :ux. 1-29.