Focus
Let your soul take a moment of rest as you hear God’s word. Put your busy schedule, wandering mind, stressful thoughts, and burdened heart at the feet of the cross and open up to God’s voice as the Giver of Life tends your soul.
Read
15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2 “Should the wise answer with windy knowledge,
and fill themselves with the east wind?
3 Should they argue in unprofitable talk,
or in words with which they can do no good?
4 But you are doing away with the fear of God,
and hindering meditation before God.
5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;
your own lips testify against you.
7 “Are you the firstborn of the human race?
Were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Have you listened in the council of God?
And do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that is not clear to us?
10 The gray-haired and the aged are on our side,
those older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you,
or the word that deals gently with you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away,
and why do your eyes flash,
13 so that you turn your spirit against God,
and let such words go out of your mouth?
14 What are mortals, that they can be clean?
Or those born of woman, that they can be righteous?
15 God puts no trust even in his holy ones,
and the heavens are not clean in his sight;
Reflect
Here we go again. Like Job’s other two friends, Eliphaz offered his advice to quiet Job from his dialogue. A conversation that the three friends were obviously very uncomfortable with. In line with their traditional beliefs that all people sin, sin is punished, and the wicked suffer, Eliphaz proclaimed that if Job were a wise man, he would silently accept his lot and stop complaining to God about it.
Oh, my dear friends! God longs for us to come and share our deepest thoughts and feelings with him – good or bad. I promise that when our friends may be uncomfortable with that conversation, He is not. He created us and gave us every emotion there is to feel. Like with Job, He may stop and remind us of who He is because we may need reminded. But He longs to be the “lifter of our head” (Psalm 3:3) and our source of strength in both times of rejoicing and times of suffering. His name is a strong tower and the righteous can find safety there (Proverbs 18:10). When others around us struggle to comfort us…God can. And He wants to. He is our Comforter and Counselor (Isaiah 9:6). Rest in his arms and open your heart and mind to him today.
Pray
Thank you Lord that you never leave us nor forsake us. You love us with an everlasting love, and you are all we need. Remind us that you pursued us and you long for us to come to you, trusting in you and finding refuge in you. I lift up those who may be hurting right now and pray for your peace that passes all understanding in their lives. Comfort as only you can.
Go with God!
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