With friends like these...

...who needs enemies?  We always had a dog on my childhood farm. A "Sic 'em" galvanized that dog into action and the marauding varmints tucked their tails and ran for their lives. Satan was "galvanized" into action when God sicked him on Job .(I don't "get that" about God but then I don't totally"get" a lot of things about God.)  He sent three "friends" to console and comfort Job. For seven days and nights El, Bil and Zo sat in the dust with him and said nothin' and then they cut loose. Following is the short list of their accusations:

"You are not patient. You have lost heart and have no hope or courage. You do not practice what you preach; you are a coward and not a man's man; you must have secret sins or God would not be punishing you;  you are deceiving,  not innocent but are impure, unsubmissive to God and are therefore untrustworthy.  You are, in fact a hypocrite. You have no credibility; therefore nobody listens to you...not even God. You are a windbag and blow smoke. You lust for money and are cold-hearted toward the poor. You are fat. You bribe people and are an "Indian-giver".  You are a fool, simple-minded and cunning.  You do not pray or seek God; you are defiant toward Him, are empty-headed and less smart than a jackass. You are stingy, a worm, and a maggot. You consider yourself powerful and privileged; therefore you deserve to suffer for the rest of your life and will, at the end   be sent to hell. ... which you deserve." 

I wonder if Mrs. Job had "comforters and consolers" like these geezers.  Gee whiz. I only lost one of my kids to death and my stomach that housed that boy for nine months still wrenches and the tears flow when I think of him...and he will have been in Heaven for four years, come May.

Enter another El (Elihu), the young one who has listened to the three elders knock the waddin' out of Job with their words.  El blabbered on about his experience; Zo was a legaliser; a traditionalist;  Bil pulled rank with his human authority. Elihu discerns that Job believes himself to be above reproach and therefore God is wrong to treat him this way.  At last everybody clears out except God and Job. God speaks...clearly.  Job listens....and repents.

I don't know as much as I soon will know about God and His ways.  I only know that they are not my ways, but the older I get the more I quit trying to explain God. These things I do know: 1) God is never wrong! 2). He did send us a Mediator for whom Job begged. 3) We need not any longer be separated from God. 4) We are invited to "Come boldly to the Throne of Grace where we will obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in our time of need." 

                                 OLD HYMN:  IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST I GLORY
In the Cross of Christ I glory,
Tow'ring o'er the wrecks of time.
All the light of sacred story
Gathers 'round its head sublime. 

When the woes of life o'ertake me
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy.
Never shall the Cross forsake me;
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

Bane and blessing,  pain and pleasure
By the Cross are sanctified.
Peace is there that knows no measure
Joys that through all time abide. 

Love, Jo