Passage Read: Job 9-12
Meditation Verses: 9:29-31
Thought
Job was righteous; God declared him so. But Job thought that meant he should never suffer harm or any kind of evil. Now he has suffered calamity after calamity, stripping him of every mark of blessing, including his own health. If all his righteousness cannot save from disaster, what's the point of doing good and right? Far too many people fall into this trap. They find it hard to live in righteousness to begin with, and they hope a righteous life will bring them prosperity, safety, a desperately desired goal or give them a charmed life. And when it doesn't turn out that way, when major trouble or setback or disaster strikes, they take it as proof that trying to live a righteous life is pointless. It is so discouraging when disaster comes, especially when we set ourselves up with unrealistic expectations and untrue beliefs. The goal of a righteous life is not peace and security and blessing in this life, though God is willing to gift some of that here and now, rather it is training and testing and preparation for the next life, where either we live in the ultimate evil environment or the ultimate righteous environment. Either we will suffer torment for eternity because we didn't care to listen to the Lord of all Creation, or we will be granted a place in a universe without sin and evil, where only righteousness and the righteous dwell.
Application
There is hope for the righteous, but it is not here and now. The righteous set their hope and hearts on the things yet to be revealed, the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Those who labor to find and live righteousness here and now do so in pursuit of a kingdom and righteousness that can only be tasted and glimpsed here. This world is cursed, sin runs rampant and Satan and his kind constantly promote rebellion. Job is right where Satan hoped to put him and he works to drive me to the same conclusion, that it is pointless to live in obedience to the Lord. If I have my eyes on the wrong prize, Satan will win. If I think I gain the prize without living the righteous life God made me to live, I haven't come to understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If I think living righteously is to gain something here in this life, I will be discouraged and defeated. But if I walk in obedience to the Lord because He is righteous and my goal is to attain to His favor and His kingdom, then I can never be defeated. Job proves that living righteously is possible even without a new nature and the indwelling of God's Spirit. But I have both, and I understand that the things of this life are not my goal. God's eternal kingdom is my goal, and I've already attained a place and the nature that belongs there. How much more should I live righteously and never be discouraged in my pursuit of a holy life!