God Just Doesn't Punish

Scripture:
I say to God: Do not declare me guilty,
but tell me what charges you have against me.
Job 10:2

Observation: At this time in the dialogue, Job and his friends even agree That surely Job should not be questioning the Lord. Job doesn't even (yet) declare himself innocent, but rather that he knows he isn't worthy and that he is sinful. He wishes for the mediator (Jesus, unnamed obviously) who would be the only person even worthy to talk to the Lord about his situation, and he again wishes for his own non-existence, for his state as a sinful man is indefensible.

Yet here is an interesting request ... for the Lord to pronounce his charges against Job before he just punishes him. This is interesting for two reasons. One reason is that we know the Lord is NOT punishing Job; Despite the harm that has come upon him, and the fact even Job himself acknowledges he is not perfect and thus is worthy of punishment, the changes in Job's circumstances are not a punishment from the Lord in any way. The second reason this is interesting is that Job is actually asking for something that the Lord himself will later give to Moses as a requirement of the Law, which is that, when someone is charged with sin, the charge - specifically the commandment in the law that is being violated - is to be written out so it can be clearly understood by both the judges and the accused. The Lord is without sin himself, therefore he could not violate this part of the Law even though the Law had not yet been given, and therefore (transitive property?) there is no charge against Job.

Application: I will make these broad statements about my own life. First, I sin, and at times I sin in a way that so knowingly violates God's precepts and commandments that I am deserving of punishment. Second, I have had significant hardships in my life where, maybe I wasn't sitting with open sores in an ash pile, but I was brought low to a point of depression and despair for my life and my future, even considering the alternative of no longer existing. Third, not once was there a relationship between my sinful actions that I should have been punished for, and these times of destruction and attack on my life.

God just doesn't punish people. He may test us, and he may allow hardship in order to form faith and character, but he doesn't destroy us over our sins and mistakes. We know satan is the one who attacks our lives, and then whispers to us that it is because God doesn't love us, or is angry with us, or is punishing us because we can never be good enough in his eyes.

Every day, if I asked God, "What did I do wrong today? Write out the charges against me!" ... he could hand me the bible, and I'd find, written out, what I did wrong. However, at the lowest moments in my life, if I asked, "What did I do to deserve this?" he would respond ... nothing ... in fact he wants to be with me and help me through those times of attack.

Prayer: Lord, as I said to you yesterday, I am heading into a time where I am a bit afraid of earthly failure. I know you have been with me already in this, guiding and providing all the time, and I will continue to seek your direction. I can only succeed by your wisdom and your love. If I fail, I know it will be because the evil one has attacked. May I look to you no matter what happens tomorrow. Amen.