Contemplative Bible Reading

Job 17:3 (New Living Translation)

You must defend my innocence, O God,
since no one else will stand up for me.

Job is speaking to his friends. He is literally sick and tired of it all. He is frustrated, but what he says is often correct.

“Please God,” cries Job. “God alone cares for those who follow God. Please take care of me.”

When it all boils down to nothing but what is left at the bottom of the pan when all the water boils away, God is the source of all I have. I look to God, not to myself or my friends and family. I look to God. Please God, defend me. Please God, help me. Please God, help me to understand that you are here with me. I am not alone. Everything may be bad, but I can lean on you for whatever it is I need. And what I need may be just one more breath or just one more beat of my heart. Then we move on to something else.

That wasn’t easy for Job to say in his circumstances. That isn’t easy for each of us to say in our circumstances here and there, now and then. Still, it is true. Still, we pray that God gives us the wherewithal to call on God when we struggle with life and our own unbelief.