If you’ve ever read or tried to read the book of Job you probably stopped somewhere in the middle because it’s a long, confusing and I must admit boring read. For me the summation of this book in the Bible was good enough – God allowed Satan to take everything from Job except his life; Job kept his trust in God and was given double for his trouble – the end. Yesterday my co-pastor preached a message from the book of Job that put that scripture in a whole different light for me. She started with the chapter and verse that gives the plot of the story (Job 1:1-12) and then she went to Job 42:10; it was here that she blew it out of the water. Thrice she said “prayed for his friends.” As I was leaning towards reminding myself that I needed to pray more for my friends it hit me who the “friends” were that Job had to pray for. These “friends” came to Job with ill advice – you know the kind – they are the “if it were me” kind of friends. We all have them and maybe at times we have been one of them. “Prayed for his friends.”
Before I give away the title of her message I have to share how God gave me the correlation and the revelation this morning between her message and my morning prayer. For years now I’ve always included these words in my prayers, “God, I pray for my family, my friends, and even my enemies.” I don’t know when or why it started but it has become a ritual. Maybe it started because at one time my enemies were once my friends – hmmm I think that’s it. “….and even my enemies.” Don’t get me wrong praying for your enemy takes skill. I first had to find a place to put my tongue; the roof of my mouth, in my jaw, somewhere away from my teeth to make certain that I didn’t bite it. It was hard…Every time I thought of what turned my friend into my enemy praying for them was the last thing that came to mind. Every time I thought of them in general my heart hardened and I thought more of vengeance than of prayer. “God, I didn’t do anything to deserve this, I’ve been nothing more than a friend. Why me?” I prayed more for myself. My aunt (God rests her soul) counseled me often giving me a scripture that made my enemies my footstool. “Read it everyday,” she would tell me, “and see how God will handle them.” She was right.
Job. Job’s devastations were many but they were all allowed by God even though they came from the hands of Satan. He lost everything. My co-pastor reminded us Job lost his oxen and donkeys, he lost his sheep, his camels, his servants and finally he was told that he lost his most precious gift; his children. As she put it Job had 10 obituaries to write, 10 children to bury all in the same day; yet in the midst of his grief he trusted God. He believed in God even when his helpmeet and his “friends” told him otherwise. For 30-something chapters Satan did all that he could but Job trusted God. Job went through hell – he felt like hell – he looked like hell but he continued to trust God. In the midst of all of his pain he poured out his soul to God and then he listened as God pour out His soul to him.
So if you are going through what seems like many trials and tribulations. If you’ve lost things that are important to you. If you’re wondering if you will ever make a way out of no way. If you’ve spent more time talking and listening to others rather than to God–keep trusting in God and remember Job 42:10. Pray for your “friends” because Job 42:12 is but a prayer away. God will bless the latter more than the first and it is then that you can “Tell All of My Haters, I’m Back!” TGBTG
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