Thurs.’s Devo - Comfort and Truth

Read: Job 20:1-22:30; 2 Corinthians 1:1-11; Psalm 40:11-17; Proverbs 22:2-4 Zophar fought back. He thought about all the insults Job threw at him and felt compelled to reply. His argument is that the triumph of the wicked is short-lived and temporary. So true! Their wealth will give them no joy. He argues that every wicked person will be judged here on earth and all will see it. Job doesn’t see it that way. He sees wicked and powerful people living their lives out to the full. Job would like to see God punish them on earth, but he sees plenty who are not punished here on earth. He doesn’t want God to punish their children, he wants the parents who did the sin to be punished. Both of them are right in that sometimes the wicked are punished in their lifetime and we see it and others are not. But a wicked person will experience no joy because joy is a spiritual gift. They experience entertainment and pleasure, but not joy. Inside they are miserable because everyone has a conscience and they are defiling theirs. Eliphaz puts in his two cents and says, what good does it do to God if Job is righteous. He accuses Job of thinking his calamity happened to him because he was too good. Eliphaz doesn’t think Job is good; in fact he thinks he is wicked and there is no limit to his sins. Then he gives him a list of things he must have done like demanding payment from someone who couldn’t pay, refusing water to the thirsty, taking land from the poor, sending widows away empty-handed and crushing the hopes of orphans. He accuses Job of having no fear of God and the consequences of sin. He advises Job to repent and to clean up his life and then God will hear him and deliver him from his troubles. With friends like these, who needs enemies. After reading Job it is nice to hear Paul pray grace and peace for his flock and to hear him calling them ‘holy’. Paul gives us the answer to Job. God is our comforter in all our troubles. The more we suffer for Christ the more God showers down his love through Christ. His comfort enables us to endure the trials so we can help others later when they go through the same trial. Paul told his story of coming close to death. His whole party thought they would die but they comforted each other with the thoughts of God and his power to raise them from the dead. They endured and God did rescue them and save their lives. Paul gave God the glory and thanked the people for their prayers which were greatly affective. Lord, thank you for the comfort of the Holy Spirit and friends. May we be people of encouragement and comfort.