Bigger than Our Problems 比我们的困难大
Dexu Xia
Look at Behemoth, which I made along with you. Job 40:15
What do you imagine dinosaurs looked like when they were alive? Big teeth? Scaly skin? Long tails? Artist Karen Carr recreates these extinct creatures in large murals. One of her panoramas is over twenty feet tall and sixty feet long. Because of its size, it required a crew of experts to install it in sections where it resides in the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
It would be hard to stand in front of this mural without feeling dwarfed by the dinosaurs. I get a similar sensation when I read God’s description of the powerful animal called “Behemoth” (Job 40:15). This big guy munched grass like an ox and had a tail the size of a tree trunk. His bones were like iron pipes. He lumbered through the hills grazing, stopping occasionally to relax at the local swamp. When floodwaters surged, Behemoth never raised an eyebrow.
No one could tame this incredible creature—except its Maker (v. 19). God reminded Job of this truth during a time when Job’s problems had cast ominous shadows over his life. Grief, bewilderment, and frustration filled his field of vision until he began to question God. But God’s response helped Job see the real size of things. God was bigger than all his issues and powerful enough to handle problems that Job couldn’t resolve on his own. In the end, Job conceded, “I know that you can do all things” (42:2).
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.
你且观看河马。我造你也造它。—约伯记40章15节
你能想像恐龙活着的时候是什么样子吗？有巨大的尖牙？全身布满鳞片？拖着长长的尾巴？艺术家凯伦 · 卡尔（Karen Carr）以巨幅壁画重塑这些已经绝种的生物，其中一幅全景图甚至超过6米高、18米长。由于太过巨大，还需要出动一组专业工作人员分区设置，才能将它陈列在位于奥克拉荷马州的萨姆 · 诺贝尔自然史博物馆中。
站在这幅壁画前，很容易就令人感到自己在恐龙面前就像个侏儒。当我读到上帝所描述的巨兽“河马”时（约伯记40章15节），也有同样的感觉。这个大家伙嚼草如牛、尾巴粗壮如树干、骨头似铜管。它在山岗上笨重地走动、吃草，偶尔停在水洼里小憩一番。当河水泛滥时，它的眼皮连抬都不抬一下。
除了那位创造主之外，无人能驯服这不可思议的巨兽（19节）。当约伯遭逢困境，他的生命被乌云笼罩之际，上帝提醒他这个真理。那时，悲伤、困惑和挫败遮蔽他的视野，使他开始质疑上帝。但上帝的回应帮助约伯看清事情的全貌，让他明白上帝大于他所有的问题；上帝的大能足以解决约伯靠自己无法排解的困难。最后，约伯终于向上帝承认：“我知道祢万事都能做。”（42章2节）
你最大的难处和那位造物主相比，何者较大？
你对上帝的看法如何影响你解决问题的方式？
亲爱的上帝，我相信祢能帮助我去面对眼前的难题。
当困难似乎要将我压垮时，
求祢帮助我能全然相信祢的大能和美善。