If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up if you remove injustice far from your tents.
– Job 22:23
This is yet another example in the book of Job of unhelpful counsel from Job’s supposed friends, but true counsel regarding what it means to seek God and do justice.
Job 22:23 calls us to remove injustice from our lives.
So it’s unhelpful because Job is not suffering because he has turned from the Almighty, from God and he’s not suffering because he has acted unjustly. His friends just can’t seem to get that sometimes we suffer in this world even as we’re turning to God and even as we’re doing justice. That’s what Job 1 was clear to show us that he was doing. At the same time, Job 22:23 is a reminder to us to always turn to the Almighty, to God, knowing that he builds up those who trust in him and it is a good reminder that God calls us all throughout his Word to remove injustice far from our tents, to do justice, love mercy as Micah says and walk humbly with God.
So I want to encourage you today to consider in your life, well, one, or many ways you need to return to the Almighty. Are there any sins in your life that are unconfessed? It’s good to examine our hearts daily, to consider if there is any way I’ve turned from God the Almighty. Are there any ways in which right now I’m not trusting in God the Almighty? Return to him daily. Turn to him moment by moment throughout the day and then to examine, is there any way in which I am doing injustice or settling for injustice?
Job 22:23 calls us to reflect God’s character.
Is there any way God is calling me to pray and work specifically for justice, knowing that he is a just God who calls us to reflect his character, to do justice? He loves to do justice and he loves for our lives to be a reflection of his just right rule and reign. So we pray. God, we praise you as the Almighty, just God that you are. We praise you that all power belongs to you and we praise you that you are just.
God, we shudder to think what the world would be like if you, the One who has all power, were not holy and perfectly just. We praise you for the reality that ultimate, final justice is coming and at the same time that you are merciful toward all who trust in you, who return to you. Jesus, we praise you for the gospel and the picture of almighty justice and mercy that we find in you.
This verse challenges us to quickly turn from sin.
We praise you for taking the just judgment due us and our sin upon yourself on the cross and we praise you for doing that and mercy toward us that we might be forgiven of our sins and so we pray, help us today to see sin in our lives as you see sin in our lives. Help us to turn from it quickly. God, help us to turn from temptation and, oh God, when we fall, we pray that you would help us to return to you, the Almighty, quickly, knowing that you build up all those who return to you and, God, we pray that you would help us to reflect your justice.
Help us to do justice, love, mercy, and walk humbly with you… In our lives and our relationships and in the world around us. God, help us to work for justice for others, for that which is right according to your Word in the world around us. Help us not to settle for injustice, but to work on behalf of those who are in need… Those who are treated unfairly, the oppressed and the poor, and the widow and the orphan.
Prayer for the Middle-Easter Turkmen People
God, help us to do justice and love mercy in a way that reflects your justice and mercy toward us. Lord, we pray specifically for the Middle Eastern Turkmen of Syria and the church as a whole in Syria. God, amidst so much injustice over decades. Amidst war and suffering and so many refugees. God, we pray for the spread of the gospel… For the spread of your grace and your mercy, your justice across the Middle East and particularly in Syria.
We pray that you would bless our brothers and sisters in Christ there… That you would embolden them with the gospel. Cause the good news of the grace of you… The Almighty, just, and merciful God in Christ to spread in Syria. We pray all this according to your Word in Job 22:23 in Jesus name, amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
