Steadfast

Job 17:9 "Yet the righteous holds to his way, and he who has clean hands grows stronger and stronger." ESV

 

Here is another nugget in the middle of Job just having a terrible time. In this chapter he doesn't talk about the physical pain that he is going through, but rather the social ostracism that he faced and what his future looked like. In sum, people turned their backs on him and he was looking forward to death. Not a happy situation.

 

But here it is. Right in the middle of what he was saying is this statement: "The righteous holds to his way, and he who has clean hands grows stronger and stronger." Is this true? Is this something that he said in jest? Is this something that he hoped for his life?

 

I don't know for sure, but I think that in all of this, I believe that Job was reminding himself of what was true, and what was true was that those who live just and right lives will grasp their direction. That is, they will lay hold of the path that God has for them. And the person who has clean, pure hands will increase in strength. He didn't know the path that God had for him but he knew that if he was righteous he would one day lay hold of it. And even though he was terribly weak right now, physically, emotionally and spiritually he still looked forward to the day that his strength would grow.

 

This is being steadfast. This is being immovable. This is sticking to the truth. This is faithfulness. This is hope. No matter what hits, no matter how bad things get, no matter how hopeless the situation may seem this is true…that the righteous will lay hold of all that God has for them and those who have clean hands will increase in strength.

 

The question is not one of God's purpose, the question is rather what is my life like? If it is clean before God, I have this hope, no matter what…so stick with the game plan. Stay in there. Don't waver. Don't give up. Stay righteous. Stay pure. The end result is laying hold of God's perfect path and increased strength and power.