for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense. Yet when she spreads her feathers to run, she laughs at horse and rider. Job 39:17-18 (NIV)
The above passage is part of God’s reply to Job, who cried out to God in his pain and confusion for an answer to why despite his living righteously, God allowed him to suffer grievously. His answer was a series of questions that reveal His power, wisdom, and sovereignty, as well as man’s inability to comprehend God’s wise, wonderful, and mysterious ways (Job 38-41). The message to Job was to be humble and acknowledge that he didn’t know and understand as much as God and to trust Him even when he didn’t understand God’s ways.
In Job 39:13-18 God highlights the ostrich. It’s a large and heavy bird that has long legs, a long neck and a small head. It has impressive wings but cannot fly like other birds (v13). It lays eggs in the sand and leaves them exposed, which seems foolish and uncaring, since the eggs might be trampled on and crushed (v14-16). However, God claims this is how He designed it (v17)! But for all its apparent folly and lack of maternal instinct, it is incredibly fast and strong and can outrun even a horse (v18)! It is able to survive in harsh climates, even in deserts! In other words, God invites us to look at the ostrich not with judgment, but wonder and amazement! He designed and created ostriches just as He did the birds that fly and have maternal instincts.
In reality, the ostrich is neither foolish nor cruel to its young. Its eggs are huge and tough and hard to break. Also, ostriches live in groups and protect their eggs by group defence. They are aggressive when threatened and can deliver a powerful kick that can kill a predator! The wings of an ostrich are also not as useless as it seems, for they keep its large body in balance when it runs fast or changes direction. For all its awkwardness and peculiarities it’s no less a bird or a part of God’s wonderful creation. It’s just different! It may not soar across the sky but soars across the earth! It may look out of place in our minds, but it’s not out of place in God’s mind!
Application
Looking at the ostrich teaches us to trust in God’s wisdom, design, and intentions even when we don’t understand His ways. It calls for humility to recognize that we don’t know as much as God nor are we able to comprehend all His decisions and actions. But this does not mean He’s unjust or unwise. When experiencing seemingly unjust, illogical, and incomprehensible suffering and pain, trust that He is all wise, knows best, and is just, loving, good, and kind even if we don’t understand why. In fact, He’ll work all things out for our good too (Romans 8:28).
The ostrich also teaches us to celebrate ourselves as a masterpiece of God’s creation. It’s easy to focus on our weaknesses and unfavorable differences when we compare ourselves with others and forget that we are every bit a work of God’s intention, design, and creative genius (Psalm 139:13-14)!
The ostrich also teaches us to accept and value those who appear to be awkward, slow, weak, inferior, or are just different from the norm. Let’s similarly celebrate them as a masterpiece of God’s creation! Having this attitude may be all it takes to help us recognize their strengths, their inherent worth, and their right to be treated with respect, dignity, and love.
DAILY MEDITATIONS
Monday: Job 40:1-2, 8 (NLT)
Then the Lord said to Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”…“Will you discredit my justice and condemn me just to prove you are right?
Tuesday: Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
Wednesday: Proverbs 3:5-7
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
Thursday: 2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Friday: Genesis 1:27
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Saturday: Genesis 1:31a
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
Sunday: Psalm 139:13-14
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Unless otherwise stated, all scriptures are quoted from the New International Version.
By Pastor Yong Tai Tong
