Chronological Reading Plan for Jan 11

Today's readings are Job 29-31. Tomorrow's Job 32-34. 

Job 29 and the first half of Job 30 depict a turning point for Job. In them he confesses he never thought things would turn out this way. He once had it pretty good and now longs for the days when he was respected and admired. Now, even those people that he once thought were reprehensible look down on him. Job has been completely humbled and may be looking at himself in a new light, even as he wonders how he got there. 

The humility doesn't last. In Job 30:20, Job addresses God directly for the first time. He wants to remind God of his dire situation and his cries for help which have gone ignored. He wants to know why he hasn't been answered. 

In Job 31, Job enumerates his good works and pious behavior. The list is impressive! He has been a good man and has done many things for many people. He has avoided sinning as best he could and has been a role model for all he met.  As Job runs through his litany of good works, you can almost feel his humility slipping away and a pious pride taking over. 

By the end of ch 31, Job sounds like he believes the end of his life is near. He wants to make sure his innocence is made clear. He presents a list of challenges that support his argument for his own integrity and goodness. He is presenting his case to God, saying, "If I'm going to die, keep in mind all the good I've done and admit I have been unfairly treated." 

Job's struggle has reached its peak. He has exhausted himself with his friends. They have been no help. He has maintained his integrity to anyone who would listen. He has reminded God of his innocence and piety.  Ultimately, he has challenged God to justify His actions and explain to him what he has done wrong. 

The one thing Job has not confessed is his thinking that God owes him an answer and an explanation. As we will soon see, one must be careful what one asks for when addressing the Creator. 

This is Job's real struggle. He is a blameless man and he holds on to that righteousness as if God owes him something for being so godly. The very thing that set Job apart, his righteousness, when transformed into self-righteousness, leads Job into making demands and setting expectations of God.

How many times do we, like Job, try to fill God in on the details of our situation? How many times do we wonder if God knows? How many times do we think God must be looking the other way and would surely rectify our circumstances if we could just convince Him He is being unfair? Do we ever get impatient or frustrated with God because He doesn't seem to answer our questions in a manner we would like them answered?

Just as an interesting exercise, turn from the end of Job 31 where Job demands an answer, to Job 38, for the moment, skipping over Elihu's monologue.