Day Eleven – Chapter 11

“Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the limits of the Almighty? They are high as the heavens, what can you do? Deeper than Sheol, what can you know” (vs. 7, 8)?

The third of Job’s so-called friends now takes his turn and weighs in with his opinion. What he asks is very true. No one is able to discover the depths of God. No one can discover His limitations. But to couch these questions in a rebuke in response to Job’s despair is unconscionable. Can you imagine pouring out and baring your soul to those you think are your friends and instead of being comforted you get rebuked? I don’t know that I can think of a worse scenario. Job did not need a theological conversation. He was not looking for an ecclesial rebuke, but rather for comfort, care and concern, and he did not receive it.

How we care for one another is far more important than we know. We cannot allow the preoccupation with the trivia of our lives to get in the way of being authentically sons and daughters in the Kingdom. We are all very busy people and as such we periodically fail to show the care and concern for one another we should. Sometimes we try to show care and concern by saying too much. We at times feel as though we should speak to what we hear coming from those free enough to express the hurt and pain in their lives. Zophar would have been far better off simply keeping his mouth shut. But he did not and often we do not.

What do people want to hurt when they are in crisis? Sometimes the answer is for more simplistic than we would believe. They really are not looking for us to say anything. Our presence means more to them than anything we could possibly say. When ministering to people who are in pain some of us could do well to continue doing what Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar did when they first approached Job; they were still for seven days. In most circumstances much of what we would say grows out of our experience and therefore may or may not apply to the situation we are trying address. Then, too, there are times when people reflect their ignorance by saying things that are foolish and do more harm than good.

None of us can discover the depths of God. None of us can discover the limits of the Almighty. But that is not our responsibility. Today let us endeavor to be a loving, caring presence to and for those who are hurting and leave the rest to God

Eternal everlasting God, You are the ancient of days. Your ways are not our ways, and Your thoughts are not our thoughts. We do not understand the things You do or how You do them. Forgive us for trying to understand and explain the things that happen to those around us rather than to be present with them in their sorrow. Show us this day how to watch, pray and be present even as You have been and are present with us. Amen.