Today's Passage:  Job 31

One of our youngest daughter's favorite questions is "What do I get?"  As in, "If I obey what you are saying, how will you reward me?"  Most often our answer is, "You get to obey the first time and stay out of trouble!"  Certainly, there are times when something extraordinary happens (like her emergency trip to the hospital last week) where we tell her that obedience will result in a reward...but that is usually followed by a few weeks of expecting an immediate reward for the most simple of things.

In today's passage, Job is somewhere in the middle between the two.  He's examining his life and wondering where the immediate reward has gone.  "God, I've been a good boy.  I haven't lusted after another woman.  I've been good to my servants.  I've taken care of the poor, the widows and the orphans.  I've stood for things that are right.  I've never fallen in love with money.  I've even treated my enemies well.  I've done nothing to deserve this!"

From the world's standpoint, he's right.  From even the church's standpoint, he would be revered.  But the problem is when we talk about what we "deserve."  I could live a life, just like Job, full of all these good things and more.  I could look perfect in the world's eyes.  But what I deserve is judgment...eternal separation from God.  I may look great from the outside, but on the inside there is still sin that lingers in my heart.  All of us have sinned...even Job...and fallen short of the glory of God.   It is only by his grace and mercy that I have the hope of heaven...or any hope at all.

The next time we begin to feel like we aren't getting treated like we "deserve"...let's remind ourselves of what our sin cost on the cross.  Jesus died so I wouldn't get what I deserve!