The Problem of Blame
Good morning, I live in Tucson, Arizona. Today they are calling for the temperature to reach one hundred degrees. I guess you have to accept the bad with the good. Soon my swimming pool will be warm enough to enjoy.

Today, let’s read Job 13-15.
Our Human Defenses
This is the continued discourse between Job and his three friends.

We know Job was not happy with the circumstances he was dealing with. He knew he was upright. We know from the first chapter that God agreed.

Yesterday we read he wanted to present his argument to God. He knew the foolishness of this desire. Any defense he could present would be insufficient against a God who sees and knows everything.

Today, in verse 13:3, he is going back to this theme of wanting to face God.

His friends have been sympathetic, but he feels they are condemning him, too.

We sense his frustration with them when he states, “You, however, smear me with lies.” (v13:4).

I have seen this in real life.

When bad things are happening to us, we become defensive.

A Christian who knows Jesus saves them will still say, “I’m a good person. Why is this happening to me?”

The assumption is that bad things should only happen to bad people?
Danger of Self-Reliance
Job tells his friends he wants them to be quiet (v13:5).

When we try to reason with a friend, telling them God has not forgotten them. They may not want to hear that.

It’s a comforting message, but not when the pain is still fresh.

Then Job challenges them about how they would fare if God judged them (v13:9).

God will judge everyone (see Heb 9:27).

At this point we know that we all sin, God sees it, and it would be foolish to argue with Him.

Before I converted, I would not have argued with that. I didn’t believe in God, because I didn’t think there was anything I could do about this situation.

It was easier to deny He exists.

While dealing with my accident, I was very stoic. Knowing that I had learned to do many things in life. I figured I would just have to learn a new way to do those which mattered.

This approach carried me far.

In the hospitals, I would hear people crying out at night. They were struggling with the same issues.

At first, they would try to deny their condition.

I knew I could not move or even feel my legs. They call that acceptance.

Then I would hear them bargaining. This is a normal progression.

We will say, “God, if you will get us through this, I will go to church every Sunday.”
Problem with Our Petitions
That is what we hear Job doing in verses 13:20-21.

The problem with his petition is he is asking God to withdraw from him.

God does not promise we will not have problems. He does promise to never leave us (see Deut. 31:6).

The Holy Spirit will comfort us when we go through trials. Asking to separate from God would not be beneficial.

His second desire is for God to stop frightening him.

The problem in our society, too often, is people have lost the fear of God.

Proverbs 9:10 tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (NIV)

Job is making the mistakes we all make. Believing that God is the problem. Thinking our lives would be fine if we could just enjoy our sins.
The Only Source of Purity
Then, he comes around to a point we all must reach; examining the root of our problems.

He asks, “How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin.” (Job 13:23, NIV).

Be careful when you ask God to show you your sins. I try to walk with God as closely as I can.

When I pray this prayer, I am appalled at what He shows me.

Therefore “Mortals, born of woman, are few of days and full of trouble.” (V14:1, NIV)

Even when we know the wages of sin, we can’t stop ourselves. It’s our sin nature which fights against us.

Job leads us to the right question in verse 14:4; “who can bring what is pure from the impure?”

His answer was no one! Which is incorrect.

This is the very question Jesus is answering in Luke 18:27. Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (NIV)

Because Jesus paid the price for our sins, purity is ours.

If heaven admitted anyone impure, it would lose its purity.

To prevent that, God made only one way. God must purify us.

That is why “Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

If you are counting on any other way, you are deceiving yourself.

Learn from the mistakes Job is making. Realize these are the same ones we all make today.

Seek salvation in Jesus today.
Tomorrow, we will read Job 16-19