Our transcendent Hope

 Read Job 17. 

Job's spirit was broken.  It is one thing to experience great loss and be financially, emotionally, or even physically broken.  But a broken spirit is a destroying devastation of person-hood. 

He just wanted to get it over with and die.  And, he was ready.  There was nothing left for which to live.  People only mocked him (v.2).  They seemed to hang around merely to divide up what would be left of his property (v.5).  He lost so much physically that he was only a shadow of his former self (v.7).  All his future plans and dreams were gone (v.11).  If his so-called comforters possessed anymore wisdom, they could bring it on. 

Yet, there remained a glimpse of his faith in God.  He had done nothing wrong and, therefore, his faith should make him stronger. (vv.8-9) 

Job's question, "Where then is my hope?" (v.15), has much more to do with his hope of recovering from all the losses, including his health.  The grave appeared to be the only place of peace, rest, and escape from the suffering. 

In Psalm 42, the songwriter expressed one of the most graphic descriptions of brokenness in the entire Bible.

"As the deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.....My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me continually, 'Where is your God?'...Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God." 

Eventually, everyone loses everything, leaving it all behind.  The LORD alone is the only source of unchanging hope that transcends this life.