"But how can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times." -Job 9:2b–3

Job has suffered, and his friends are offering reasons why God might be allowing this pain to visit the righteous man. Here is Job's reply: “How can a man be in the right before God?” How indeed.

This is really the question of human existence, isn't it? How can I stand before God? We usually think of the question in terms of what we can do to earn being right before God, but Job helps us see the first page of the Gospel, that no man or woman, nobody can be right before God. We need an intervention.

Let that sink in today. You are worse than you thought. You are incapable of standing in the presence of a perfectly holy God. You have no chance of contending with the Creator of the universe. You are far too messed up to go before him. This seems like bad news, but it actually leads to some amazing grace.

Jesus is the man who is in the right before God, and he gives you his righteousness. Jesus is the perfect high priest who brings us before God, and his claim over us allows us to stand with confidence. Confidence in Jesus.

I don't need many reminders of how sinful and broken I am. I bet you are the same way; you come face to face with your mess every day, just like me. Jesus has covered that mess in his work on the cross for you. You are in with him, and that standing will never change.

What person can be in the right before God? Those who are in Christ Jesus.

This is an excerpt from Depths a daily devotional written by Jonathan Shradar.