When We Want to Take a Pass

Have I sinned? What have I done to you, O watcher of all humanity? Why have you made me your target? Am I a burden to you? Why not just pardon my sin and take away my guilt? Job 7: 20-21a

Job has experienced great personal loss. God has permitted Satan to take away his family, wealth, and health. Job doesn’t know all about this agreement, but does acknowledge God as having a major role in what has happened, and concludes that God is engaging in a dark game of tag, with God being “it”.

Here Job is asking God to end the game of tag. He knows God will win, so he wants to get tagged so the game will end. In fact, Job wonders why God started the game in the first place. Why does God bother to intervene in such a negative way with a mere human? Doesn’t He have better things to do? Job is even willing to plead guilty and take the rap for whatever he may have done, just get this case closed, because to live like this is too painful.

Paradoxically, we do want God to intervene in our lives, just not in a negative way. As the gospel song says “While on others thou art calling, do not pass me by.” God is welcome as a source of comfort. We just would like Him to pass us by when He deals negatively. At least I do. The problem is we may not have a choice. Did Job?
beanscot's husband

Pass Me Not - Fernando Ortega