January 21 - Job 8:1-11:20

Good morning everyone,

Well, as we begin reading this morning, we’ll remember Job is in a very miserable state. He has lost all his worldly possessions and family with the exception of his wife, and his health has deteriorated to a point where the man questions why he was even born. His three friends traveled a great distance to be with him in his time of trouble and for seven days sat quietly while he mourned. Finally, Job spoke which opened the door for his friends to give their council. Yesterday we heard from the first of the three, Eliphaz, and Job’s response to that. This morning we will read what Bildad and Zophar have to say to Job.

While I feel Bildad could have shown a bit more compassion for his friend I really liked the analogy he made in 8:11-13 “Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water? While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass. Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so perishes the hope of the godless.” I camped out on this for a bit. We all need God’s word to keep us going, the daily nourishment, encouragement, water to help us grow. You know as well as I do what a struggle it can be out in the world, how it can drain you of all our strength. I saw this passage and immediately thought of Jesus telling the woman at the well “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I  will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Eternal life! Oh, such a great promise.

Zophar, was the last to speak, probably making him the youngest and as young people can be a little more “matter-of-fact-ish”, if you know what I mean. Again, these three guys obviously loved Job, they traveled a great distance to be with him so however crass or “cowboy up” their words sounded, I am confident their hearts were in the right place.

While reading these chapters where Job is having dialog with Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar it is important for us to remember that it was not God who inflicted any of this mayhem on Job. It was Satan. Satan had challenged God saying the only reason Job was so righteous and loved Him was because of all his success, but God believed in Job. God knew Job to be the man He claimed him to be and because Job never once cursed God, he was able to silence the voice of the enemy. We too have the ability to silence the voice of the enemy when we choose righteous,  when we choose God. You see, Job didn't have the opportunity like we do to read the book of Job, to know how the enemy can work in us and on us. Job didn’t get a heads up on what can come our way, the chance to be aware and prepare. He had to ride it out all on his own, he didn’t know the rewards he would receive for being faithful to his God, our God. We, on the other hand, have resource after resource and the Bible to help us know God’s voice and way. To see what can be lurking around the corner ready to pounce on us, we are in-fact, provided with the armor to fight the enemy with.

We will all be tested, put through the fire the question is, how will we what will we do with it? Job sits in heaven today not thinking “why did I have to go through all that”. No, no, no, he sits there probably front row center praising the God who loves him. That’s where I want to be! And that’s where I hope to see you too.

Just as a side note that has nothing to do with anything, it was so hard for me to, while writing today, not say something to the effect of “Zo phar (so far) we have been reading …. (you know that’s kind of funny), I did kind of restrain though :-)

I pray your day is incredibly awesome.

God bless you all.