Job 13:1-16: a reflection

1“Behold, my eye has seen all this. My ear has heard and understood it. 2What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you. 3“Surely I would speak to the Almighty. I desire to reason with God. 4But you are forgers of lies. You are all physicians of no value. 5Oh that you would be completely silent! Then you would be wise. 6Hear now my reasoning. Listen to the pleadings of my lips. 7Will you speak unrighteously for God, and talk deceitfully for him? 8Will you show partiality to him? Will you contend for God? 9Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceives a man, will you deceive him? 10He will surely reprove you if you secretly show partiality. 11Won’t his majesty make you afraid and his dread fall on you? 12Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes. Your defenses are defenses of clay. 13“Be silent! Leave me alone, that I may speak. Let come on me what will. 14Why should I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? 15Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him. 16This also will be my salvation, that a godless man will not come before him.

Job, in his suffering, rebukes his friends for their false comfort, and insists that he will take his case directly to God. He longs to reason with God, to plead his cause before him. And in the midst of his anguish, unable to understand his suffering and seeing no hope of relief, he makes a resolve that has become famous: Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will maintain my ways before him. Even facing death, even without understanding, Job resolves to hold onto God.

Notice the depth of Job's resolve. He does not understand his suffering; he sees no hope of it lifting; he even expects that God might slay him. And yet he will not let go of God. Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. His faith does not rest on understanding, or on the prospect of relief, or on things going well; it rests on God himself, and he will hold onto God even in the darkest place, even to death.

That is a faith worth having. Our faith is often tied to understanding and to things going well; when we cannot understand our suffering, or see no hope of relief, we are tempted to let go of God. But Job shows a faith that clings to God even when it cannot understand, even in the face of death, even without hope of relief. Ask God for such a faith: one that holds onto him not because you understand, or because things are going well, but because he is God. When you cannot understand your suffering, and see no hope, do not let go of God. Cling to him, as Job did, saying, though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. A faith that holds onto God in the darkest place, even to death, is the faith that endures; hold onto God, whatever comes.

Lord, Job, in his suffering, unable to understand and seeing no hope of relief, even expecting that you might slay him, resolved to hold onto you: though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. Give me such a resolve. My faith is often tied to understanding and to things going well; when I cannot understand my suffering, or see no hope of relief, I am tempted to let go of you. But Job shows a faith that clings to you even when it cannot understand, even in the face of death, even without hope of relief. Give me such a faith: one that holds onto you not because I understand, or because things are going well, but because you are God. When I cannot understand my suffering, and see no hope, keep me from letting go of you. Help me cling to you, as Job did, saying, though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. A faith that holds onto you in the darkest place, even to death, is the faith that endures; help me hold onto you, whatever comes. Be my hope, even when I cannot see or understand.