Job 3  This chapter is called "Job's Lament" in my Bible.  Job pours out his heart.. to God, to his friends, to his wife... to anyone who will listen.  It boils down to this.. Job wishes that he had never been born.  He is so miserable and heart-broken that death is preferable over life. 

We see some of Job's beliefs about death in these verses... 

v13 -"For now I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept then, I would have been at rest."

v14-19 Kings, counselors, princes, and even the wicked, the prisoner, or the slave.. "The small and the great are there.. "

Death in Job's thinking is a place of rest and a place where anyone and everyone is equally comfortable. We know that this is not Truth. We know that there is only quiet and rest for those who belong to Jesus. We know that all who die will face the judgement seat.  Yet, we see that Job's philosophy is widely accepted in our own days.  Millions of people who do not believe in God still believe that death is preferable to life.. that they will find rest.. that they will be happy.  They don't know that God sees them and knows them and that He will judge us each according to our deeds. ( Matthew 16:27) They don't know that unbelief will result in eternal death. 

"Why is light given to him who suffers, and life to the bitter of soul; who long for death but there is none.." v20-21  Job asks the question that is still asked all these centuries later.. why is there suffering? "I am not at ease, nor and I quiet, and I am not at rest, but turmoil comes."  Job concludes. 

We know that Job will find out later that God was not finished with him yet.  He could not see it.. but there was a purpose for his suffering and there was a day of restoration coming.  Job had not lost his faith, but he had lost his hope. This is what God would restore in him eventually.. and it would begin with this question.. "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?" (38:4) God would change  Job's focus from himself to His Lord. 

Our hope is in the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  When we are suffering, when we are discouraged, or when we start wondering why we are still among the living.. we need to go back to the basics.. our God, our Creator, Who is a great and mighty God. We need to change our focus from ourselves to Him!  His purposes will be accomplished and we can trust Him.  Like Job, may our response be, "Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth." (40:4)

Great is our God and greatly to be praised!

Father, turn our eyes and our hearts back to Yourself. Thank You for the Word of Life that reminds us that our lives are in Your Hands and that You love us with an everlasting love.. even if we  are suffering, or despondent, or heart-broken.  Help us to learn from Job and to keep our hope on the certainty of Your grace, power, and sovereignty.  Thank You. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.