Day Thirteen – Chapter 13

“ Be silent before me so that I may speak; then let come on me what may. Why should I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hands? Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him. This also will be my salvation, for a godless man may not come before His presence. Listen carefully to my speech, and let my declaration fill your ears. Behold now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated. Who will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die.”(vs. 13-19)

The writer of Proverbs offers the following counsel, “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed” (15:22); “Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days” (19:20); and, “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend” (27:9). It is good sound counsel as long as you seek it from the right source. Three of Job’s friends have offered their counsel and advice to this point in the narrative, but Job now repudiates it as ‘proverbs of ashes.”

It occurred to me that it is critically important that we seek godly counsel, but that we are also to be very discerning about to whom we go and in whom we confide. It also occurred to me that we are often guilty of two things that are actually polar extremes. We rely too much on the counsel and advice of others or we ignore it altogether. The truth of the matter is that regardless of how sincere the counsel we receive or the counsel we give may be, it is always given through the filter of what we know, either from our personal experience or from what we have read and studied. But we are not carbon copies of one another. We are special and unique just as God made us, so all counsel must take into account our unique situations. One size does not fit all.

If you reread the words of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar you will notice three separate and distinct perspectives, inferences, and even accusations. They are all three friends with the same man, presumably whom they have known for some time, and they respond sincerely but very differently as though speaking to different person. Job’s response to them is, therefore, understandable and his solution noteworthy; he takes his case directly to God without overly spiritualizing it, ready to suffer the consequences he believes might come with questioning and debating; but also, affirming that regardless of how God responds, he will yet hope in Him. Such should be our response when we go through. God can handle our questions, our debates, frustration, anger and pain. He knows all about it anyway. So seek the counsel of godly friends, but more importantly take your case to God. I affirm today with Job, “Behold now I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated” (v. 18).

Dear heavenly Father, We thank You again today for our friends and their love and concern for us. But we are even more thankful that we can bring our cares and concerns directly before You and that You will incline Your ear and hear our prayer. You alone know the depths of pain and sorrow, grief and loss we suffer. Help us to know of Your vindication so that holding our heads high we may go through and not under, in Jesus’ mighty precious name we pray. Amen.