SCRIPTURE: Job 36
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Let me go on, and I will show you the truth. For I have not finished defending God! [Job 36:2]
Does God need to be defended by us?
I often think about this when I hear about people or religions that impose punishments against people who speak against their God or their faith.
Is God so weak that He needs our help in defending Him?
Does Jesus need me to defend Him?
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! [Luke 15:1-2]
What strikes me is that Jesus does not come to defend God from sinners, but to befriend sinners for God!
Through Jesus, we discover that God’s preferred way of dealing with people that do not honour Him is to reach out to them, to love them, to serve them, to die for them… to befriend them!
God does not need to be defended, but sinners (including us) do need to be befriended.
It takes a strong person not to defend themselves when falsely accused, a very strong person to love those who are accusing them.
This is God’s preferred way.
Yes Elihu, God is all-powerful, God is always just, God is great and glorious and holy.
But above all, He is compassionate and merciful and loving.
He is not looking for us to defend Him, He is looking for us to help Him love others, like He does.
The best way to offer a “defence of the faith” is to offer a “demonstration of the faith”.
The best defence is a loving offense – bless those who curse you, forgive those who hurt you.
Today God is calling me not to defend Him from sinners, but to befriend sinners for Him!
This is God’s way, this is Jesus’ way, this is our way!
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for befriending me, help me to treat others as You treat me!