May 9th

May 9th -- Job 2 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%202&version=NLT)

Job's Second Test ; Job's three friends share his anguish

One day the members of the heavenly court again came to God, and Satan came with them again. God asked where he had come from, and Satan said he had been down on earth, observing what has been going on. God again asks if he has noticed Job, a man of complete integrity, who fears God and is blameless. God points out that Job kept this integrity, even when the devil harmed him without reason. The devil then says that a man will give up everything to save his own life, so if he loses his health, he will curse God. God agrees to let Satan do as he pleases, so long as he spares Job's life. So Satan causes Job to be covered in boils, from head to foot. Job scraped his skin with a pottery shard as he sat among the ashes. His wife told him to curse God and die instead of trying to maintain integrity. Job, though, says she is foolish, asking why we should accept good from God, yet not also bad? Job had still done nothing wrong in all this.

After three of Job's friends hear of Job's tragedy, they come to console him. These three friends were called Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. When they find Job, though, they can hardly recognize him. So they tear their robes and sit with him on the ground  for seven days and nights. Nobody even speaks to him, because they can see how much he is suffering.

I really don't have much to say on this except for more like what I said yesterday. This is just astounding. I mean, I'd have been whining to/about God after having lost all my possessions, probably (not proud of it but I'll admit it), and if not then then certainly after having lost my family. Then to be covered in boils on top of it? It's no wonder he was too sad to speak for a week. But this man did no wrong in all that. I have no idea how. I wish I had that sort of conviction, I really do. I have seen improvement in my faith, of course, but I'm not at a Job level yet, exactly... maybe still in elementary school. (Get it? Haha, sorry, that was lame.) Although, I can say, when I start to find myself being whiny, or way too negative, I actively remind myself of Job. If he could only mourn and not be bitter over that, I can be joyous in whatever I'm facing, or, if I cannot be joyous, I can mourn without bad-mouthing God in any way.

That's all for tonight, folks! God bless! Shalom!