Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:6 There are some who would not see it as a prayer because Job was not asking God for anything when he said it, still, it is a great prayer; maybe one of the greatest of all. The prayer ends with these profound words: Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes. (Job 42:6) How did Job come to such a confession? At the beginning of the book, Job was a man blessed by God with extravagant means. He served God unreservedly which caused Satan to think he serves God only because of the extraordinary way God treated him. Does Job fear God for nothing? Hast Thou not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? (Job 1:9-10) God had blessed him and was continually blessing him but things were about to change. God agreed to - even suggested - a severe testing of Job in which blessing by blessing was stripped away from his life. Would Job still serve God? When the worst of it hit, even his wife turned against him – her advice to him was; Curse God and die! (Job 2:9) Job did not listen to her and neither did he buy into the advice of the friends who came, first to comfort him and then to point their fingers at him insisting that he had to have done something wrong - that it was his fault that things were happening as they were. In spite of what they were saying Job insisted upon his own innocence. Although he didnt understand why it was happening he held to God anyhow. He told his friends; Though He slay me, I will hope in Him and continue trusting Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. (Job 13:15) Arguing your case – presenting your side can be accepted by God – but you should never think that owes us anything. No matter where we are in our walk with God there is always a higher height and deeper depth – there is always another place we ought to want to get to in God. We must also remember that God’s ways are not our ways, neither His thoughts our thoughts – so what we need to do is to forsake our ways and turn to God. “There is a way that seems right to man but ends thereof are the ways of death.” Job did eloquently argue his ways with the friends who came to him in his misery. As opposed to comforting him and praying with him, it seems all they wanted was to find fault and assign blame – they wanted him to admit that he had sinned in some way to bring these consequences. All Job wanted was for them to trust in his innocence and his right standing before God. Our right standing before God is not based on anything we may have done, or failed or refused to do. Our right standing or righteousness with God is based on what Jesus has done for us. He sacrificed His life as payment for our sins and as long as we trust in Him and walk with Him, we will remain righteous in the sight of God. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV). . . An exchange took place – Jesus took on our sins and paid the cost required of God (death – the wages of sin is death) – and in exchange God reasoned us to be righteous – or treats us as righteous because of what Jesus has done. It’s not that we are righteous – in that we do all the right things and never do anything wrong – or that our intellect, strength, or resources afford us the right to be in the presence of God. It is that God considers us to be righteous because of the relationship we have with Him through Christ Jesus. Job and his friends were getting nowhere in this debate so God takes the argument. Listen to what the Lord says: Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me: Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your wrath; Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; Tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together, Bind their faces in hidden darkness. Then I will also confess to you That your own right hand can save you.” Job 40:7-14 (NKJV) Had Job been guilty after all? Were the friends right? No! It was God himself who said that Job was a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil. (Job 18) Job finally came to the place where he discontinued justifying himself in favor of acknowledging the superior greatness of God. THERE IS A PLACE SPIRITUALLY BEYOND WHY SOMETHING HAPPENED - A PLACE BEYOND WHOS RIGHT AND WHOS WRONG. As human beings we want all our ducks lined up in a row. We want to say that if A happens, B will result. We dont want to feel that we are pawns on a chess board with no control over where our life is sent next. Most of us will not have tests and trials like Job - especially not within such a short time span. All of us though, will have unexpected downturns in our life. There are times when the big WHY looms over us. Many times our friends are right there to tell us why it all happened to us. Maybe they are right and maybe they are wrong but thats not the final say on the matter. If we would just trust God and remain prayerful and learn how to wait on Him we will eventually get past all that has happened – and all that is happening - to the place Job came to. Here is his prayer - his final say on the matter. “Then Job answered the LORD and said: I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, I will question you, and you shall answer Me. I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:1-6 (NKJV) Are you in a place of great questioning because God does not appear to be faithful in your circumstances? Instead, is He silent as you go on and on in suffering? Go ahead and argue your case and work through everything you must to reach some resemblance of understanding. But beyond all that there is another prayer: Jobs prayer. When all is said and done, will you be ready to pray it? • “I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” (NLT) • “Therefore I take back my words and repent in dust and ashes.” (HCSB) • I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.” (The Message Bible) If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Prayer is necessary. In fact Jesus said that we should pray always – as any failure to pray will result in us fainting and losing the desire to continue on. Confession of our sins and repentance clears the line and will allow God to hear and answer our prayers. Job confessed his shortcomings and repented of his sins – God forgave him and blessed him – and He will do the same thing for us.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 20:49:51 +0000
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