Job 19:23-27a

“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God…” vss. 25-26

The major portion of the book of Job consists of a series of dialogues between Job and three “friends.” In these conversations Job steadfastly defends himself against the accusations of his visitors, always insisting that he has done nothing wrong, and challenging what is known as the “doctrine of rewards,” the popular belief that humans always get what they deserve. Periodically Job expresses a desire for an “umpire,” someone who will stand with him in his defense before God. These few verses express that yearning in a way that seems to anticipate Jesus and that offers hope for the future. We know what that desire is like! We live in a world in which the innocent suffer and the wicked prosper. People regularly experience injustice as they put in their time on earth, and many look forward to renewal and restoration. People of faith have come to understand that God is a very present source of hope and healing in times of suffering, and that every day can offer a fresh start, not because we are so good, but because God is good, and Jesus really is our living Redeemer. Our brokenness is not a death sentence and will not endure forever!

Thought for the Day: Why do some people believe that they deserve whatever happens to them?