Sticking To My Resolutions

I made 3 resolutions for 2013
1 - Read through the Bible in a year.
2 - Earn my NFPA seals by the end of the year.
3 - Paddle across Georgian Bay from the Western shore to the cottage by the end of the year.

I also have some things I'd like to do more of (goals), but not quite resolutions.
- Drink 2 litres of water each day
- Talk to my parents on the phone or in person at least once a week.
- Go to the gym 3 times a week

There's a group of about 5 guys that are reading through the Bible this year along with me, (or maybe I'm doing it along with them?), and we elected to do the chronological plan. We've read through the creation story, the flood and now we've arrived at Job.

Job? Before Moses and the Exodus?

Apparently.

I have found the book of Job to be pretty tough. It's a lot of Job complaining, and his friends pointing fingers at him saying this is God's judgement on his life. It's not a very uplifting portion of scripture. 

Full disclosure - I dread reading my Bible right now.

Each day I've come to praying that somehow God would speak to me through the daily passage, and he has. I can see myself in Job's friends. Searching for reasons why God is punishing him. Pointing the finger at every time Job missed an opportunity to feed a beggar or clothe a widow. 

If life sucks, it must be because of some unconfessed sin. 
You are a sinner, God's holding you at arms length.

Why do we assume God is this cosmic vending machine in the sky? We put in enough good deeds, enough acts of service, enough time in prayer and The Word, and then his blessings will flow.

Job asks why the wicked prosper, while the righteous suffer. We ask that question too don't we? 
Why does he get the promotion?
Why does God heal her mom of cancer, while my sister dies?
Why does he get to party and enjoy life, accept God at 60, and we both still make it to heaven?
We feel like we live a 'better' life than they do, so we should get the reward.

Romans lays it out pretty clear:
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. - Rom 3:23
So none of us deserve the reward. 
We all fall short of the bar.
And that's the beauty of grace.

I'm still sticking to my resolution, but I still can't wait to be through the book of Job.