My face is red with weeping, dark shadows ring my eyes; yet my hands have been free of violence and my prayer is pure. Earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry never be laid to rest! Job 16:16-18 NIV
As we continue to learn from Job, we must remember that this righteous man was suffering greatly! Far too often, when life is unbearable, the enemy tells us that we have a “free pass,” that “surely God doesn’t expect us to maintain righteousness now, in the midst of all this pain, right?” It’s when we suffer the most that we must draw the closest to God! Our prayers must remain pure!
Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend. Job 16:19-21 NIV
No matter how deep our sorrow, even now our advocate is on high! There is one who intercedes on our behalf as we pour out our tears to God! We never suffer alone! “My intercessor is my friend,” Job declared! As you cry out to God, what is Jesus doing? He is pleading on your behalf as one pleads for a friend!
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:33-34 NIV
But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:24-25 BSB
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 1 John 2:1 NIV
As if that’s not enough, Jesus loves us so much, that He asked the Father to send us yet another helper who also comes alongside us as an advocate, a friend, and also pleads with the Father on our behalf!
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever–the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 NIV
And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. Romans 8:27 NIT
Only by inspiration of the Holy Spirit could Job have penned these words. This man was so in tune with the Spirit of God!
Whatever you are going through today, know that you are not alone!