“If only someone would listen to me! Look, I will sign my name to my defense. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser write out the charges against me.” Job 31:35 NLT
It appears that at this point Job realizes that someone must have gone to God and accused him of sinning. As we read the book now, we know that this is true. Satan did ask God for permission to try Job and prove he was the man that God thought he was.
In Chapter 31, Job looks back over his life and lists all the good things that he had done, all the ways that he had lived to please God and to bless others. He had treated his servants and employees well and had shown benevolence to the poor and needy. He had walked in integrity and purity.
He then throws out a challenge that if these claims were not true, he would be punished. Verse 22 “Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.” He appeals to God and asks for a reply. Then ends his arguments with these words “The words of Job are ended.” Verse 40
Maybe each of us should put ourselves in Job’s position just for a minute or two. Would we be reminding the Lord of all the good deeds we had done, and asking why He was allowing us to go through the testing? Or would we be remembering all the times we missed opportunities to do good to others?
We are all human, we make mistakes, and we all fail to live up to God’s plan. But the Lord looks at our hearts and we are saved by His grace.
Titus 3:5-7 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
II Corinthians 3:5 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God”
Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your precious blood that cleanses us from all sin and unrighteousness, and the grace that You have freely extended to us. Help us to love you with all our hearts and to love others.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
