JOB 20:1-22:30
2 CORINTHIANS 1:1-11
PSALM 40:11-17
PROVERBS 22:2-4
Job22:2 “Can a man be of benefit to God?
Can even a wise person benefit him?
3 What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?
What would he gain if your ways were blameless?
I think Eliphaz is right in saying that mankind is not a benefit to God. Not even the wisest person can be wiser than God so that is no benefit to Him. However, we do know that God did find pleasure in the righteousness of Job. But His pleasure was not because of any gain that Job's righteousness would give to Him. His pleasure was because of His love for him. God had been bragging like a proud father in the first chapter. "8 Then the Lord asked Satan, 'Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.'" That is such good news. He doesn't need us for anything but He wants us for everything. When we do our best to live a life of integrity, fearing God and turning away from evil we please God.
Psalm 40:11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
12 For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
13 Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.
And the fact that His love is not dependent on what we can do for Him it does not change when we fall and give into temptations. When we do sin He is also merciful because of His love for us. He doesn't have to show mercy, but He wants to show mercy because He loves us. I love that David says, "Be pleased to save me, Lord". Our sin does not please Him but His love makes Him pleased to show it to us with His unending mercy.
Live to please God so that you don't often need to say "Please God?"
God Offers Comfort to All
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident…