As many of you know, this hasn't been an easy week for my family. Monday, one of our two cars decided to stop working. It sits in our garage now, with the hood up and we don't know what's wrong because we haven't had a chance to look at it. The reason we haven't had time is Tina's grandmother. She suffered a heart attack that evening and has had another one in the last few days. She is in hospice now, with her fluids, nutrients and medicines stopped as of this last Thursday. I'm writing this intro Saturday night at 8:45 PM and the doctors first brought the family in to say their goodbyes Tuesday night, so this has been a trying event for us all. Please remember us all in your prayers.

One encouragement I have had from our reading came in Job 14:5:

You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.

They have told us that her heart is so damaged that it couldn't sustain life... days ago. And yet she fights for breath. Can an 88-year-old woman that weighs under 100 pounds live without water for three days? No, and she is still with us. Medical knowledge and technology are wondrous, but they don't mean anything compared to the irresistible will of the Father. So we continue to wait in Him, because it has been determined that we need to experience this loss in a manner that lasts longer than medically possible.

We do not have to understand His will. We just need to bow before His providence.

In Christ Alone,

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Job reminded his friends that all things happen according to God's will and told them that he was not inferior to them. He desperately wanted to argue his case with God, confidant that he would be found blameless. He then goes on to say that a person's lifetime is finite and he is willing to wait for his renewal to come.

Day 2

One of Job's friends speaks out yet again. This time he asked if Job was smarter than them and proceeded to call Job a wicked man based on the suffering inflicted on him. If you really look at it, this guy lays it down hard on poor Job. I couldn't wait for Job's response. True to form he mentions their lack of comfort they give him with this visit. I'm surprised he didn't tell them to leave a long time ago, to be honest. Then Job actually praises God as he pleads with Him! The response from his friend this time is once again to stop talking and get to know God. I don't know about you, but these guys are getting on my nerves, and I wasn't even there!

Day 3

I like how Job starts this out. "If it is true that I have gone astray, my error remains my concern alone." I translate this into: "Back off and mind your own business." Of course they didn't. The reply is "This is what happens to wicked people." As before the man gets a pretty good tongue-lashing from Job.

Day 4

After Job defended himself to one friend, another picked up the fight. He even asked Job if he planned to continued in his evil ways and begged him to submit to God's plan for him. You can't see me now, but I'm shaking my head. The lesson for this story may be to consider what kind of a friend you are. When someone you profess to care about is hurting, what do you do? Is your comfort mixed with accusations and barbs that have no intent of helping the situation or at least providing some comfort? The next time you are in that situation, step back and evaluate your actions and words.

So Job pleaded his case to his friends...again...and one of his friends challenges his claim to righteousness...again.

Day 5

Job's response this time sounds a bit more decisive. He makes it pretty plain that he will never concede to the insults of these friends or deny his integrity in any way. He actually has a lot to say in this section. I don't think I could do it all justice. He does remind them that the fear of God is the path to understanding, and continues, reminding his friends of the respect he had held before.

Day 6

Job continues and insults the fathers of his friends. He then cries out to God. I got quite a tingle up my spine with his plea to God! Over and over he gives examples of terrible things that would warrant this punishment, but states that he did not do any of these things. This happened thousands of years ago, and I really feel for this guy even today.

Day 7

Another friend begins speaking. This one is younger than the rest, and was angry. Job had justified himself rather than God and these three friends had failed to refute Job for this. He throws his anger at Job and says that Job is not only sinful, but rebellious against God. Once again I will ask. What kind of a friend are you when times are hard for another? Do you have any family that is sick? Perhaps in a nursing home? In Hospice? Maybe a loved one is looking at the final months of life and you are not excited to visit for fear that you may have to witness their passing. What kind of a friend are you?

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