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Dear Heavenly Father, Praise I praise you today as the great teacher of truth. You breathed out a true and faithful record of your work in people’s lives, even to the point of revealing their faults and failings. I praise you for being a God who breaks through people’s misconceptions of you and brings them into a deeper knowledge of who you truly are. Today in Your Word Today you told me what Eliphaz said to Job. You did this because you want me to think carefully about Eliphaz’s beliefs. Eliphaz said several things that are true: those who “plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same” (Job 4:8), you do bring disaster upon the wicked (Job 4:9), you indeed “catch the wise in their craftiness” (Job 5:13), we should be grateful when you reprove us, and we should not despise your discipline (Job 5:17). However, Eliphaz also said some things that are false. He said the innocent never perish (Job 4:7), but sometimes they do (Gen 4:8). He said that a man cannot be pure before God (Job 4:17), but Job was (Job 1:8). He said the wicked never flourish (Job 5:1–7), but they often do (Ps 73:4–9). He said the righteous will be saved from all trouble (Job 5:19–27), but sometimes they aren’t (1 Kgs 21:13). This shows me how important it is to sift what others say and discern whether or not their words are true. Reflection No matter how depressed Job got, his thoughts continually returned to you, and even though he desperately wanted to die, he never considered suicide. Instead he appealed to you, the author of life, to grant him relief from his misery. Request Father, help me remember that no matter how far away you seem, you care about me and love me. Help me to endure the trials in my life with patience and wait on you for mercy and grace in time of need (Heb 4:16). Thanksgiving Thank you for the knowledge that my faith does not depend on my emotions and my relationship with you does not disappear when I get depressed. Thank you for the assurance that you will never leave me or forsake me (Heb 13:5). In Jesus’ name, Amen. Suggested Hymn: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Joseph Scriven. Meditation Verse: Job 6:14. |