Job loses everything and still refuses to curse God. He mourns, he curses the day he was born, but still has hope in the Lord. I was astounded by how awful Job’s friends were. Despite Job saying that he had committed no sin, they over and over repeated you must have sinned, repent! His friends were no comfort to him in his time of need. I hope that I am a better help to my friends in their time of need. How are we responding to tragedy in our lives and others lives? Are we speaking kindness and comfort or are we so determined to speak truth into their life regardless of the cost?
Passage:
Job 1-14
Discovered:
- Job was a blameless and upright man, he feared God and turned away from evil.
- At Satan’s urging, God took away His hedge of protection so Satan could test Job-only he could not harm Job.
- Satan took away his oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, servants and all of his children in one fell swoop.
- Job tore his robe and worshipped the Lord.
- Satan appears before God again. God: He still holds onto his integrity. Satan: Man will do all sorts of things for their life. God: You may do as you wish, only do not take his life.
- Job was given sores from head to toe, even his wife told him to curse God and die.
- 3 of Job’s friends came to visit: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, they did not recognize him. They tore their robes and mourned in silence for 7 days and nights.
- When Job finally spoke, he cursed the day he was born.
- Eliphaz: You have offered strength to many before-where now is your strength? Why are you so impatient? Seek God!
- Job: I would not complain if I did not have anything to complain about. What hope is there? My friends are no help to me, they offer no comfort. Did I commit a sin? Why have I been chosen to suffer?
- Bildad: You need to seek God, for if you are upright, He will restore you. Repent of your sin, your children likely got what they deserved, death.
- Job: God is mighty, how do I compare to him? There is no one to go to bat for me.
- Job: Lord, you made me, loved me. Why am I here? What have I done to deserve this?
- Zophar: Foolish man! God is wise. God gives you less than you deserve. If you repent, God will surely bless you.
- Job: Mocking-my friends have all the wisdom, they laugh at me, an upright man. The Lord gives and He takes away. Regardless, be quiet, let me speak, I will present my case for I am blameless.
- Despite what i know, everything you have said, even when everything is wrong, I WILL HOPE IN HIM! (even in death)
- Life is short, mans days are numbered, if I die, I would wait faithfully until my renewal. (life after death)
Help me to remember:
while some of our trials maybe a result of consequences of our sin, that does not always apply.
Lord, I ask that . . .
I am more considerate when a friend is in mourning than Job’s friends were.
Heavenly Father, I am thankful for . . .
the hope I have in You.
