Asking for Judgment
How do we want justice to work in this world?
Job again took up his discourse and said: "I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I look upon a virgin? What would be my portion from God above, and my heritage from the Almighty on high? Does not calamity befall the unrighteous, and disaster the workers of iniquity? Does he not see my ways, and number all my steps? "If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit— let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!— if my step has turned aside from the way, and my heart has followed my eyes, and if any spot has clung to my hands; then let me sow, and another eat; and let what grows for me be rooted out. "If my heart has been enticed by a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door; then let my wife grind for another, and let other men kneel over her. For that would be a heinous crime; that would be a criminal offense; for that would be a fire consuming down to Abaddon, and it would burn to the root all my harvest. "If I have rejected the cause of my male or female slaves, when they brought a complaint against me; what then shall I do when God rises up? When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him? Did not he who made me in the womb make them? And did not one fashion us in the womb? "If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the orphan has not eaten from it— for from my youth I reared the orphan like a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow— if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or a poor person without covering, whose loins have not blessed me, and who was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; if I have raised my hand against the orphan, because I saw I had supporters at the gate; then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket. For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty. - Job 29:1,31:1-23
Job tries to make the case that he is innocent of any wrongdoing by inviting judgment for anything he may have done.
Let me be struck by lightning if...
We know God doesn't work that way. He doesn't pass judgment on us for each thing we do wrong. So, asking for immediate judgment doesn't carry much weight.
Everyone knows God isn't waiting for us to call upon Him to judge us and punish us.
If anything, God gives us more chances. God waits for us to redeem ourselves.
Of course in Job's day, it was commonly believed that God did bring harshness upon those who were evil and goodness upon those who did good.
That is why Job is confused.
He is waiting for God to admit there is a mistake here. I don't deserve this, so you need to fix it.
Good luck with that.
God doesn't take orders from us, but He does listen to our prayers and He does send help.
How has He tried to help Job?
The story of Job is written from Job's perspective. Job believes God is playing games with him and so that is what we see in the opening.
But God does have his say, and Job does not like what he hears.
Maybe we all need a reminder that God is the one in charge. While Christ taught us to be a servant of all, and he gave us that example, the Father is the one who doles out grace.
Yes, they are one, and that is what we find confusing.
Perhaps we should just trust that God is there and He hears us. Then we can focus on what it is we should do to help ourselves.
More to come...