DO EARTHWORMS YAWN?

by | Mar 9, 2023 | 2011

If you literally had the opportunity to speak with God face-to-face and could ask him anything, what would those questions be?

Just think about it for a minute or two. In our prayers and through our daily lives we ask God a lot of questions all the time. Sometimes it feels that our prayers are answered in a certain way and sometimes it feels as if God just keeps quiet. But imagine if God suddenly appeared in person just to you one day and said, “Okay, let us sit down together and talk. Ask me anything you want.” Wouldn’t that be utterly amazing? There you are, having a personal one-on-one with the only Being in the universe who has all the right answers to all the questions? Again I ask, what would those questions be?

I once heard an amusing story about a man working in the garden with his young son. Upon seeing some earthworms wriggling in the soil the young boy was fascinated and asked his dad, “Do earthworms yawn?” I don’t recall what the father answered, but it makes me smile every time. Actually, I still don’t know whether earthworms yawn or not, but the point is that we as children and adults ask a lot of questions that even if we had the answers, they would not have any dramatic impact on our daily lives.

How deep is a hole? How long is a piece of string? Does the Loch Ness monster really exist? Do earthworms yawn?

An opportunity of a lifetime

There is only one person I know of that literally had this opportunity. His name was Job and his story is told in the book of Job in the Old Testament of the Bible. It is really worth reading. In short, the story is about a wealthy, happy, and godly man who basically has everything, and then everything is taken away from him. His farms and house are destroyed, his children all die and he ends up covered in festering boils, sitting on an ash heap in utter pain and misery. Unbeknown to Job this is the handiwork of Satan, which God allows. His friends come and try to console him, but end up worsening the situation by insisting that Job must have done something very bad for all of this to happen to him. Job pleads innocent and asks probably one of the most common questions we all ask from time to time, namely, “Why me, God?”

Might that be one of the top questions you’d like to ask? Why me, God? Let’s be serious for a moment. Putting aside the interesting-but-not-life-changing and humourous questions, there are in fact a lot of important and soul-wrenching questions we have asked God and still don’t seem to have any satisfactory answers. The other day I was talking to a lady who said she has been asking God something for years now and still has not received an answer. Wouldn’t we all relish the opportunity Job had?

Job doesn’t get much help from his friends and his list of questions seems to get longer. Eventually he basically says that if only God was here right now then he would ask God some real tough questions face-to-face and demand some real answers. Job sounds a bit presumptuous here, but let’s be honest, we’ve all been there at some time or another. Some of us are there right now.

Ask and search

Fortunately, we worship a loving and understanding God. He is quite happy to commune with us and discuss tough questions. Don’t be afraid to ask those tough questions, but also be open to God’s answers. Furthermore, don’t feel embarrassed about the questions you might have. They will typically reflect where you are emotionally and spiritually. Rather ask and search than not ask at all. Please, don’t walk away from God and think you will find the answers somewhere else, because you won’t.

The story of Job gets really interesting when God does come down and speaks face-to-face with him. Just imagine, here Job is sitting with all these questions and next minute here is God and He says, “Okay Job, you have some questions. Let’s talk, but before I answer all your questions let me first ask you a few of my own.” Yes, that’s exactly what happened. I have this picture in my mind of Job thinking to himself that okay God, let’s quickly answer your questions and then we can get down to my more important ones. I can see myself doing something like that.

So God starts to ask Job a number of questions. Questions like where were you when I created the earth? Can you make it rain? Can you hang the earth in empty space on nothing and it won’t fall? Can you bring forth the stars in their seasons? Does the eagle soar at your command? How long have you been around? Job doesn’t attempt to answer even one of God’s questions and feels less assured and more insignificant with each one.

“Now my eyes have seen you”

A few things strike me about this Biblical story of questions. Firstly, there are a lot of questions we don’t have the answers to, nor may have, in this lifetime. However, be assured that God is still there, He is always in control and together we will triumph in this life. Secondly, when we meet God face-to-face (and we can), life and all its questions take on a different perspective. Keep in mind, that during all this time Job was still in pain and sitting on top of a dump heap. Yet, if you read the story carefully you will notice that after God has asked all of his questions (to which Job has no answers), Job doesn’t even bother to present God with his list of questions. All he can say in reply is that he does not have all the information nor can he see or understand the whole plan of God. The experience however, brings Job closer to God and his final comment must rank as one of the great quotes of the Bible. He simply says, “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5). What an amazing story.

Please don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to trivialise or ridicule any problems someone might be going through. Our pain, suffering and heartaches are still real. Our questions are still important and lingering. Life can be hard. However, seek God with all your heart and with all your strength and you will find him. He promises you that.

Do earthworms yawn? I don’t know and frankly I don’t particularly care. More importantly, does God answer our prayers and questions? Yes. Will we find God if we seek him? Yes. Does God love me and have a personal interest in my little life? Yes. Will God always walk with me, even through dark valleys filled with death and sorrow? Most definitely a resounding – YES.

Here are some Bible verses of encouragement:

 • Deuteronomy 4:29. Seek the LORD with all your heart and soul and you will find Him.

• 1 Chronicles 28:9. If you seek Him, He will be found.

• Isaiah 1:18. Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD.

• 1 Corinthians 13:12. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.