Two brief Old Testament lessons introduce the sermon for today. The first is from Job 38, the first two verses: "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?’ " The second lesson is from the 55th chapter of Isaiah, verses eight and nine: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

If Job,

great and innocent sufferer from the Old Testament,

could have had access to these words from Isaiah,

perhaps his suffering would have been lessened.

We all know a little about this man of misfortune,

blameless before God,

but nevertheless the subject of personal tragedy.

We mistakenly fee…