Job 2:11-13 When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
Most of us are familiar with the story of Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil (Job 1:1). Which I find amazing in itself because most of us, although we fear God and give our hearts to him—when it comes to “shunning” evil, we often simply tolerate it instead. Job was truly an upright man. We know he suffered, not because of what he did, but simply as a testament of his faithfulness. As a result of his faithfulness, we know this: The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part (Job 42:12).
Job had three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) who figure prominently in this story, along with a fourth young man (Elihu) who shows up at the end of the story. Recently I have noticed some interesting details about Job’s three friends who were the first to enter this story. Although they did not live near Job, they kept in close contact with him (and apparently with each other) and when they heard about Job’s plight, they responded. Their intentions were noble, honorable, and from the heart—to sympathize and comfort. Most of all, they were willing to set aside their own schedules to spend time just being at the side of their friend, even on the ground at his level. They felt no need to fill the empty air with noise; simply being there was enough.
It was Job who first broke the silence. The broken silence released a flood of words from his well-meaning friends. Scores of biblical studies and commentaries have analyzed the speeches of Job’s friends, and that is not my purpose in today’s devotional. That material is readily available to any who would look for it. Today, I simply want to acknowledge the positive aspects of Job’s friends. I want to point out their willingness to respond to a friend’s need; their willingness to go; their willingness to stay as long as needed; and their willingness to simply sit quietly nearby.
Gracious Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the examples of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—friends who were willing to respond to a need. Open our eyes to opportunities to serve you by encouraging others. Give us the willing heart to set aside our busy schedules when the greater need is being able to comfort someone else.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.
The devotional Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar appeared first on Write From My Heart at writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com
email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com
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