Devotionals for September 6, 2024

We have a brand new sermon series this Sunday! See you at church this Sunday at 9:00 & 10:45am!

Job 2:11-13
11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. 12 And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. 13 And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

Job’s friends did not finish the job well, but they started it almost perfectly. The beautiful picture of his friends leaving the comfort of where they were to go be with their friend, not to change or fix him, but to comfort him and show sympathy is a great image of what the community of God should be for its struggling people. The last verse is so powerful. His friends kept silent “for they saw that his suffering was very great.” How often do you feel this temptation to give advice, offer hopeful solutions, etc. to a suffering friend? It’s best to just keep quiet. Some suffering is so great that your mere presence is enough and your words would only compound the suffering. Be with others in their suffering, endure it with them, and in doing so you will show real friendship.

Q: What is significant about Job’s friends’ actions in this passage?

Q: Who in your life needs your friendly silence?

Q: What implications does this have for giving counsel to other Christians who are struggling?

"And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one."

Lord, help us to resist the temptation to offer superficial relationship to others. Help us to love as you did, with all of us. Amen.