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January 6th

The passage before us (Job 10-13) is one of my favorites. God had told satan earlier that Job was special to Him. And when God told satan that Job was an upright man, He was saying that his neighbors could count on him to be truthful and fair in all of his dealings. Remember, this was God’s testimony of Job and He knew Job perfectly.

And note, Job believed that God would speak of him in such a way. Why? Because Job’s conscience was clear before God and man. Not perfect. Not sinless. But broken... "search me and know my heart” broken. Job would even say, “My doctrine is pure”...and “I am clean in God’s eyes”....that was not self-righteous talk...that was true spiritual humility, for Job knew who got the credit for such claims...God.

Job would say, “I dont know exactly what God is doing now, but I know that He is doing it...I know that this suffering is God’s sovereign hand upon my life. And He is perfectly righteous...He will only do right things to us.
Now would Job go through dark nights of his soul during his trial? Absolutely. ...But stay with me.

Job would experience suffering like none other on the earth to that day.” Job spoke to God about it...not as though he was sinless, but because he was a “repentant” man...never allowing his sin list to get too long before his brokenness over sin would cause him to cry out to His God...appealing for mercy.

Job’s so-called friends continued to pile on their accusations that Job was a great sinner and that God was punishing him for his arrogant sinning. And Job denied the accusations, time and time again.

Those same friends, listening to Job’s cries to God for relief from his suffering, said: “How can you even talk to God, you sinner.”

And Job would reply, “Who else can I talk to...? (who knows me better? Who loves me more? And who do I love more?)

Job said: “there is no arbiter between us...there is no one else with absolute authority in a matter but God alone...so who else can I appeal to for relief from this affliction?...

Brethren, do you recall John 6, where most of the crowd following Jesus decided to follow Him no more? Jesus looked at the twelve and the women and children around them and said, “Will you leave me too?” And Peter answering for them all....”To whom shall we go, Lord? You have the words of eternal life!”

Job desired the pain be removed. Job desired his loss be restored. Job desired the hurtful circumstances altered.

And then Job says this: “...the Lord gives and He takes away...
though He slay me, I will always hope in Him.”

There are people living today whose suffering is unimaginable. Some of them I know. They hurt, they cry, they wonder why. And they deal courageously and faithfully. Some even better than Job. You ask, how can that be? Answer: They have the Suffering Servant as their advocate and the Holy Spirit as their Comforter.