I Can't Measure Up

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Job 9:30-35: If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye, yet you will plunge me into a pit, and my own clothes will abhor me. For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. Let him take his rod away from me, and let not dread of him terrify me. Then I would speak without fear of him, for I am not so in myself.

What's one of the messy things that happen in life? Job is going through it right now in our passage. We all do. Job is saying, "God, I can't measure up to your standards and will. What's the point? If i am going to be under Your judgment, then I am finished. I don't have anyone to intercede for me. If I did..."

We call it "despair, despondency, depression." We call it "hopelessness." Job, in his venting to God does not see hope, no matter what he does. The worst of it is, he doesn't see anyone on his radar that will step in for him.

Do you think that God is judgmental? Do you think that God, no matter what you do, is leaving you "hung out to dry?" Do you think that any relationship with God is arbitrary and hopeless? If you do, you aren't seeing God and you aren't seeing Jesus.

This is why Jesus came into our messy world. He took on our despair, despondency, depression, and hopelessness and nailed them to a cross. God the Father is not judgmental. He is just according to His will. We can't measure up no matter what we do. AND we have an arbiter, a go between, A SAVIOR. We have Jesus who took the judgment that we should upon Himself. As a man, Jesus was the sacrifice, the one who shed His blood and gave up His body so that we are forgiven. As God, Jesus is the one who can forgive, but DOES forgive.

So when you experience despair, despondency, depression, and hopelessness, remember: Jesus is your salvation and life. Holy Spirit, continue to reinforce that in us, Amen.