Today's encouragement comes from Job 9:1 & 2, which says this:
"Then Job answered and said: 'Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous before God?' "Job's question here (above) is very important. After all, just *how* can a hu-man being, conceived in original sin, actually "be righteous before God"? This is a big problem, since God Himself is totally righteous and holy; and nothing short of absolute sinless perfection will, can, or should satisfy Him.
Nothing we could ever *do* would give us this righteousness before God. No amount of religion, prayers, or effort will or could suffice. A sinful person gets righteous before God when he or she realizes that Jesus alone is his or her righteousness. Christ is apprehended by faith. Therefore, a person is "right-eous before God" through faith in the Redeemer, and in no other way. (There is your answer, Job!)
[Puritan quote of the day: "A Christian may come to lead a comfortable life, even a heaven upon earth, be the times what they will—by Christian content-ment.” —Thomas Watson, in, "The Art of Divine Contentment"]
