The traditional theological view understands God's nature as both immanent and transcendent. God's immanence is seen in His willingness to approach and greet humans in all the peculiarities of the context faced by the creation. Meanwhile, in His transcendence, the figure of God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and transcends time and space and all entities in the universe is emphasized. A healthy faith is born in the creative tension between God's immanence and transcendence. Being on one side or the other will lead to an imbalance in our understanding of God. In this reading, we see Elihu slapping Job through his argument. To him, Job is too presumptuous to challenge God with his questions. God is the Most High who even created the heavens with ease.

One thing Elihu failed to see was that Job's cries and questions came from a place of deep suffering. He whimpered because he felt God was so far away, as if he didn't care. Elihu, in a stern tone, rebukes Job because he thinks Job is too self-exalted & seems more righteous than God. He describes God as too high to be disturbed by man's sin or goodness; too glorious to answer man's cries of complaint.

However, in Elihu's exalted view and defense of God's omnipotence, there is a big mistake. He forgot that the Most High not only sits far away on His throne, but is willing to come down to hear the lowliest of human complaints. He underlines the transcendence of the Divine and forgets His desire to greet and be close to His creation (the Immanent God). The glory of God lies not in His distance, but in His willingness to humble Himself to reach out to the vulnerable. God is not only the God in the clouds, but also the God who is present in the dust of suffering. When man is speechless, God speaks through His nearness. When Elihu emphasizes that man must first be worthy to be heard, God's love reveals that He draws near first, even when man is unworthy.

Then, when life seems dark and the sky seems silent, don't give up on prayer. God does not close His ears to sincere cries, even from broken hearts. Admit your limitations and open your heart, because precisely in that humility, the Most High is pleased to be present and save. He is not only far out there beyond the universe, but He is also present and close to us. His presence can be seen in everything in this world that we can feel through all physical experiences including when suffering tears the body and shakes the soul.