Mere Mortals - Job 7:1, 2; 17-19

"Is not this the struggle of all humanity? A person's life is long and hard like a worker who longs for the day to end, like a servant waiting to be paid... What are mere mortals that you should make so much of us? For you examine us every morning and test us every moment. Why won't you leave me alone for even a moment?" Job 7:1, 2; 17-19

Job describes life as a lifelong endurance test, with us just waiting for it to end. And he asks the ultimate question, why does the God of the universe, author of all things, take such interest in us, mere mortals? A great question! WHAT IS THE POINT of all this?! Surely a question that comes up more when life is miserable than when all is well, but I know I have asked it before, and I think it is fair. WHY US? WHY ME? I fear it is one of those questions that we will get no satisfactory answer to in this lifetime. Sure, I understand the , "God desires relationship," and, "wants man to choose" theories, but they don't really cut it for me (another thing that I am sure God is not too concerned about!). What is the point of the whole exercise? Does an all powerful, omnipotent God need this? I doubt it, so why? I know people will try to answer, but they are really like Job's friends -- they don't, and can't, really know. So what I know is this: There IS a God; he DOES love me; he DID die for me; and I DO have a responsibility to him -- end of story. I think we get into trouble when we try to go much further. After a lifetime of trying to figure it out, the wisest man who ever lived concluded, "Fear God and keep his commands, for this is the whole duty of man." Ecc. 12:13 In his anguish, Job reached a similar conclusion, "At least I can take comfort in this: Despite the pain, I have not denied the words of the Holy One." Job 6:10

God, help me to always keep my faith this simple, I am a mere mortal.

Today's reading: Job 6-8; Acts 12