Sept 12 (revised)

(I accidently 'published' instead of 'previewed' this before I was done, so if you got this by e-mail and it sounded half done it was :)

I have a confession- I peeked ahead. We will be done read Job on Sept 18th. Yup- I confess- I'm not into Job. Like I said, there is a ton of great stuff there. But, it's such an interuption to the story line we were on. I'm not good at that :) But, like I also said, that's how suffering is......an interuption of the plan.


I honestly don't know how Job doesn't use what last little bit of strength he has left to strangle these 3 'friends'. I work 12 hr shifts in a small unit and can seldom leave the area. If you have a personality conflict with someone you spend 12 hrs with, it can seem like an eternity. (Most of my colleages are fabulous- but I've been at this for 30 years- so I've worked with a lot of people!). Sometimes they NEVER shut up! You couldn't get a word in edge wise if you paid for it! Or worse yet, you have something important to say or ask, and they have already made up their mind what you are going to say and they don't want to hear. You get the 'talk to the hand' treatment.

Job has to listen to these guys tell him that he must have sinned to have caused all this for MONTHS! After that much badgering and in his weakened and suffering position, I'm suprised that he didn't lose it and falsely confess just to shut them up! His three friends started out with a great idea- they left their homes in order to comfort him and sypmathize with him. Job 2:11-13. They felt so bad for him they just sat with him for 7 days and didn't say a word. And then it started. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk........

 I'm pretty sure I would have blown at this point and said, "Will you SHUT UP!!". Job does struggle but he never loses it totally. I think that this is because of what I talked about yesterday- he keeps his focus on God. Amazing.

I also like in this chapter how he still has a gut belief that somehow, somewhere, Someone to be an advocate, an intercessor. In the previous readings, he pleads for such a One. In chapter 16, it's as though he sees Him by faith.

19 Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high.
20 My intercessor is my friend
as my eyes pour out tears to God;
21 on behalf of a man he pleads with God
as a man pleads for his friend.

It's so easy on this side of the cross to take this advocacy for granted. We need an Advocate! God is more than love, He is also justice and holiness and the fact that Jesus Christ has taken our punishment and become our personal advocate in heaven is mind blowing. We have what Job could only long for and cling to by faith.