My heart and soul is weary with the reading of Job. From verse 11 onward Job seems to believe, as his friends do, that the wicked will get their just deserts in this life. This seems to be the same thinking that led his friends to call Job to repent. According to them the calamities that befell Job are indicators of his wickedness.
If only it were that simple... love and serve God and all the blessings of this life come upon you. Do wickedness and God's vengeance will fall on you. Life isn't that simple. By this equation Jesus must have been wicked because of the end he met. We know that is not true. Throughout history some of Jesus' saints have prospered and others not. And the book of Revelation speaks of the tribulations that will come upon the saints, not to mention the various NT Epistles that speak to the tribulations befalling the church (see 2Thessalonians 1:4, James 1:2, 1Peter 1:6 & 4:12 as examples). The same could be said for saints throughout church history, some prospered in an earthly fashion and some did not.
So at least to my mind and reading Job, his friends are a bit off here.
I found no devotional strength in these words, so I went back and started reading again.
The early words of the chapter brought some hope of nourishment. Job begins with this comment to his friends. As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter, as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies. I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity (2-5).
He will not give up his innocence. And he remains adamant that he is getting a raw deal from the Lord. Possibly, even probably, this comes across a tad self-righteous. Be that as it may, Job sets a boundary stone that he will not cross, as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies.
I find this a powerful statement; doubly powerful given it is spoken by a man in torment. I am never at my best or my most faithful when I am in pain or tired. Job is suffering much more than I ever have and still he guards his mouth and bridals his tongue.
This stands a powerful example for me.
Even in pain, even in the midst of trial, even feeling forsaken, I can remain faithful. As I type these last words, the image of Stephen at his stoning comes to mind (Acts 7:54). From Stephen's image I bounced to Jesus on the 'forgiving those who crucified him.'
I can remain faithful; the Spirit that was alive in Jesus and Stephen is alive in me!!
Lord God –Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit- I am Yours forever... I pray in Jesus'' name. Amen
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