Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Job+023
CHAPTER 23 (ESV)
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Today also my complaint is bitter;
my hand is heavy on account of my groaning.
3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him,
that I might come even to his seat!
4 I would lay my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know what he would answer me
and understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?
No; he would pay attention to me.
7 There an upright man could argue with him,
and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.
8 “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there,
and backward, but I do not perceive him;
9 on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him;
he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.
10 But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
REFLECTION:
In Chapter 22, Eliphaz tried to look for some hidden sins that Job might have committed to reprove him. In Chapter 23, Job declares that he believes in his honesty and the justice of God. We may all have hidden sins in our daily lives, and we may not even be aware of them ourselves. But if we are true believers, all sin is forgiven for everything Christ has done for us on the cross. The Bible also teaches us that for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything (1 John 3:20). God’s forgiveness and cleansing are sufficient, and they also remove those doubts that trouble us. Today, if you have completely confessed and repented to God for a specific sin, although you may still feel guilty in your heart, the Holy Spirit in you can prove that you have been forgiven by God. If you seek God with sincerity like Job, you can bear the condemnation of others. If God has forgiven and accepted you, you should be at peace and not have to feel guilty about past mistakes.
PRAYER:
God, I thank You. Although I am a sinner and often fall short of Your glory, when I confess and repent to You, all my sins are forgiven because of what Christ accomplished for me on the cross. Through the Holy Spirit, I can remove the guilt from my heart and no longer fear the reproach of others. Because You have forgiven and accepted me, I can now have peace of heart and no longer feel guilty for past mistakes.
HYMN:
East to West – www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_J34QyY0Pk
