“Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up
his words in thine heart. If thou return to the Almighty,
thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.”
(Job 22:22-23)
The path to restoration with God is plainly stated in this passage: receive His word as He gave it, treasure it in your heart, remove any and all sin in your life and in your home, and return to Him. When these actions are embraced with sincerity, rebuilding begins.
Just as it is foolish to complain of pain while nurturing the cause of the wound, sin in the heart must be acknowledged and done away with before peace, restoration, and healing can begin. In other words, if there is a sleeping Jonah aboard, he must be cast overboard. Comfort does not come by ignoring the obstruction but by removing it.
Sin always represents a forsaking of the fountain of living waters and a turning toward broken cisterns. True religion begins when the soul says, with seriousness and resolve, that it will return to its first and best object, because it is better to be with God than with anything else.
Where this return is real, it produces visible fruit. True repentance shows up in our conduct, our conversation, and our habitation. Indeed, the godly man does not merely put away iniquity; he puts it far away.[1] As God removes our transgression when He pardons us, so the believer seeks to remove his sin in repentance. He desires no peace with sin, no truce, no quiet coexistence. Even the appearance of evil becomes hateful.
Moreover, sin is not only removed from practice. As this verse shows it is also removed from the home itself. The house as well as the heart is reformed by religion. A regenerate man does not wish holiness for only himself; he desires it for those under his roof. He can no longer excuse what he condemns or tolerate in his dwelling what he refuses in his conscience. Like Jacob, he calls his household to put away strange gods. Like David, he resolves that deceit and lies shall not dwell within his house. Like Joshua, he commits himself and his house to the service of the Lord.
And where repentance, trust, and prayer abide together, the soul finds both stability and peace. Because as Job tells us, if the soul returns to the Almighty, it shall be built up.
Contemplations:
- Returning to the Almighty. I confess how quickly I complain of spiritual dryness while still tolerating sins I refuse to name, much less forsake. I grieve that I often want comfort without repentance, peace without cleansing, and rebuilding without demolition. When I hear the call to return, I know it means a full turning of the soul back to God Himself. I see how often I linger between God and sin, and I am ashamed of my own divided heart.
- Putting away iniquity from my heart. I must confess that I am more apt to try to hide iniquity than remove it. I search for comfort while sheltering sins that poison my conscience and weaken my joy. My soul longs for restoration, yet I resist the painful work of honest self-examination and thorough repentance.
- Putting away iniquity from my dwelling. I cannot escape the truth that repentance must reach beyond my heart into my life, my habits, and even my home. I excuse what I allow under my roof, all the while knowing that holiness is not only inward affection but outward order and that love for God must shape my home as well as my heart.
- Seeking delight in God alone. My delight is often found in lesser things, while I think of God more as a remedy than a joy. I realize that my heart often looks toward Him with mixed motives and guarded expectations. Yet I feel drawn by the promise that returning, cleansing, trusting, and praying open the way to renewed fellowship. My soul longs to know God not only as a helper but as my highest delight.
Prayer (Confession)
Almighty God, I confess that I have often sought comfort without repentance, and peace without returning fully to You. You call me to receive Your law and to keep Your words in my heart, yet I have listened carelessly and obeyed selectively. I have desired delight in You while tolerating what hinders fellowship with You. I am ashamed of such foolishness.
Grant me grace to return fully to You in the Lord Jesus Christ. Cleanse my heart, reform my life, and order my dwelling according to Your will. Teach me to hate sin, not only because it troubles me but because it offends You.
Build me up, O Lord, as You have promised. Let me not seek joy apart from holiness nor peace apart from obedience. Restore in me a childlike trust, a tender conscience, and a life shaped by Your Word. Hear my prayer for the sake of Your mercy in Christ.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Job 22:22-23:
Job 11:14; Isa. 55:7; Hosea 14:1; Acts 26:20
[1] Richard Allestree, The Government of the Thoughts a Prefatory Discourse to The Government of the Tongue, (London: R. Smith for Richard Cumberland .., 1694), 157.
