Today’s Reading: Job 30-34; Psalm 94

“God is not a mortal like me,
so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial.
If only there were a mediator between us,
someone who could bring us together.
The mediator could make God stop beating me,
and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment.
Then I could speak to him without fear,
but I cannot do that in my own strength.” – Job 9:32-35

HOW OFTEN DO WE BLAME GOD FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING WRONG IN OUR LIFE?

We blame the Author of Life for the death of a loved one. We blame the Great Physician for the cancer diagnosis of a friend. We blame our holy and righteous God for the sin of this world that causes us pain. Every good and perfect gift comes from God our Father, and yet He is the first one we get angry with when things are not going our way.

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. — James 1:17

Once our family attended an outdoor event on a hot summer day. We found a place in the shade and then we set up our chairs and blankets. We had arrived early to make sure we could find a comfortable place under the shelter of a tree. But before the opening song had even begun, we noticed the shade was moving. We had not taken into account that the earth was rotating and the angle of the sun was changing — the shadow we were sitting under was shifting.

This often describes our circumstances in life. We set ourselves up to live comfortably and enjoy all the blessings God has provided, but life does not sit still. Try as we may, we cannot freeze time. Our children grow up, our bodies grow old, and our loved ones pass on. We look around and no longer recognize our surroundings. Where did the time go? We cry out to God and question whether He is still listening.

“Even now my witness is in heaven.
My advocate is there on high.
My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God.
I need someone to mediate between God and me,
as a person mediates between friends.” — Job 16:19-21

HAVE YOU EVER ACCUSED GOD OF BEING DISTANT? HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED IF HE IS LISTENING?

“I cry to you, O God, but you don’t answer.
I stand before you, but you don’t even look.” – Job 30:20

Job was suffering and crying out to a God who was not answering him. He assumed God had turned his back; he was convinced that God no longer cared. If only God would come close to see what a good person he was, Job would receive justice for all the unfair suffering he was enduring. His friend, Eliphaz, spoke up to remind Job of the greatness of God.

“God is so great—higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars.
But you reply, ‘That’s why God can’t see what I am doing!
How can he judge through the thick darkness?
For thick clouds swirl about him, and he cannot see us.
He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven.’” – Job 22:12-14

What a great reminder that God sees everything; the Lord knows everything. Most of us have had seasons where we felt like Job did, but we can rest in the knowledge that the one who made our ears is not deaf; the one who formed our eyes is not blind (Psalm 94:9-11). But even with confidence in this promise, we may have moments where we cry out for a moment with God, like Job did.

“My complaint today is still a bitter one, and I try hard not to groan aloud.
If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court.
I would lay out my case and present my arguments.
Then I would listen to his reply and understand what he says to me.” – Job 23:2-5

We live in an imperfect world and declare it unfair. The sins of generations before us have scarred God’s perfect plan for His creation. We have inherited the viruses, diseases, conflicts and perversions of those who came before us, and darkness continues to try its best to snuff out the light. Job recognized the distance that sin had placed between the Creator and His creation, and he cried out for a mediator — someone to bridge the distance between God and mankind. Job was begging for a Savior.

There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. – 1 Timothy 2:5-6a

JESUS WAS THE SAVIOR JOB PRAYED FOR — THE MEDIATOR WHO WOULD CLOSE THE DISTANCE.

For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. — Hebrews 9:15

Because Jesus is our Mediator and our Savior, we can stand in confidence with Job and make this our personal testimony, even in the midst of our struggles and the presence of our pain:

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
and he will stand upon the earth at last.
And after my body has decayed,
yet in my body I will see God!
I will see him for myself.
Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.
I am overwhelmed at the thought!” — Job 19:25-27

I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.
When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. – Psalm 94:18-19