January 12, 2009
Satan left God and struck Job with terrible sores. Job was ulcers and scabs from head to foot. They itched and oozed so badly that he took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself, then went and sat on a trash heap, among the ashes. His wife said, "Still holding on to your precious integrity, are you? Curse God and be done with it!" He told her, "You're talking like an empty-headed fool. We take the good days from God—why not also the bad days?" Not once through all this did Job sin. He said nothing against God.- Job 2: 7-10
Quick question: What in the world happened with Job's wife? How do you pledge to spend the rest of your life with the one you love and when trouble comes, you tell them to "curse God and die"? Yea, that's some quality unconditional love right there. I find it no mistake that we were never provided the name of Job's wife in this book. I think sometimes when God doesn't name people in the Scriptures, it's because He would rather us focus on their behaviors and attitudes to learn our lesson than attempting to analyze how their lineage played a part in their character development. We all know a "Job's wife"; she was that day's "Misery loves Company". It was evident that she wasn't happy with herself and consequently, could not encourage Job to seek happiness as well. But when you believe that your life is meant to be shared with someone, in romance or friendship, it is your responsibility to recognize your role as a cheerleader. However, it is our responsibility to appreciate which cheerleader they are supposed to be.
Remember in high school, there were Junior Varsity and Varsity cheerleading squads? Younger girls were on JV and the older young ladies comprised the Varsity team. What does that tell you? Maturity will separate some of us and it is okay. While I wrote this devotional earlier this weekend, its message was confirmed during my pastor's sermon yesterday morning. Everyone that has been in your life up to now may not be able to flow in the direction that you are headed and that's fine; it's actually part of God's plan and design. But if you try to make them fit and flow, you will block your own greatness. Some of us are moving from the Junior Varsity squad and becoming Varsity cheerleaders but not everyone will go with us. Despite how painful it will be, you must keep moving.
I read the entire book of Job several times and found no mention of Job's wife again. Coincidence? I think not. When his fortune was restored, Job's wife was not even named among the celebrators (more of that in Part Two). What does that tell me? Just because you cheered last season doesn't always mean you made this season's squad. Well alright! Friday night, I laid in my bed and asked God for something: "God, no matter how much it may hurt, please reveal those closest to me who do not hold me up in prayer." As I maneuver through this Year of Manifestation and Release (Application and Cultivation), I need a squad that will cheer for me when I'm winning and when it looks like I'm losing. After all, isn't that their purpose anyway?
When God Speaks:"The Cheerleader (Part Two): It's Cheer Competition; Do You Know The Routine?"
January 14, 2009
After God had finished addressing Job, he turned to Eliphaz the Temanite and said, "I've had it with you and your two friends. I'm fed up! You haven't been honest either with me or about me—not the way my friend Job has. So here's what you must do. Take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my friend Job. Sacrifice a burnt offering on your own behalf. My friend Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer. He will ask me not to treat you as you deserve for talking nonsense about me, and for not being honest with me, as he has."They did it. Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did what God commanded. And God accepted Job's prayer. After Job had interceded for his friends, God restored his fortune—and then doubled it! All his brothers and sisters and friends came to his house and celebrated. They told him how sorry they were, and consoled him for all the trouble God had brought him. Each of them brought generous housewarming gifts. –Job 42: 7- 11
Last week I prayed that God would reveal those friends I have who do not hold me up in prayer. I believe that as people espouse to have a role in the lives of others, the greatest thing we can do is pray. We should pray that their days are bright, their smiles are many and their tears have purpose. We must be there for our friends. That's what Job's friends tried to do…I guess. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar went to Job (in Chapter Two) as shoulders on which he could cry. But their mistake was incorrectly assessing Job's trouble. The trio insisted that Job's misfortune was due to his sinful nature and in order for peace to be restored, Job needed to repent to God. How sad was it that they really didn't know their friend?
There are many "friends" who will claim to know your problem. You know them- they offer all the wrong advice and, more times than not, they give you the instruction THEY should take. They assume the climate of your condition based upon the temperature of their own. Job's friends and ours fail to appreciate their limitations in this area: you can't fix that which you didn't make. I went to see Bishop TD Jakes' movie, Not Easily Broken, and there was a nugget in there I will never forget: If you want to understand the purpose of a thing, consult the one who created it. A true friend understands that their best weapon of defense and offense in attacking the Enemy, on behalf of their friend, is to talk to the One who created them. After all, only He knows the Who, What, Where, Why and How that will propel us to the next level.
It seems like Job got it. When God was tired of his friends "advising" him, He went off on Job's homies. But what did Job do? He prayed for them. He didn't say "I told you so. Your problem is blah blah blah". He just prayed for them and God knew he would pray for them. There's a beauty in being exactly what God knows you can be. But get this- Job's fortune was restored and doubled after he interceded for his friends. If we are ever to be what we hope to be in life, we must understand the importance of helping other people get there, as well. What good is it that I'm successful, that I'm happy, that I'm free, that I'm loved and I don't pray that my friend is the same?
To all who've prayed me, thank you.
©BirthRight, 2009
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