From Gary... Learning from your friends

A good friend will be by your side, no matter what!!!  And so it is with Charlie Brown and Snoopy.  Over the past year, I have begun to appreciate my new dogs (2013) for the affection we share.  Especially when I am down- they seem to know and show more me more attention than usual.  These things are true; but what about people?  When you find a friend, you have found a wonderful gift.  And when that friend just happens to be your spouse, then you are doubly blessed.  But what if a group of friends cared for you?  How would you feel then?  Read on to find out...

Job, Chapter 2

 1 And it happened that a day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah. And Satan also came among them to present himself before Jehovah.  2 And Jehovah said to Satan, From where have you come? And Satan answered Jehovah and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it.  3 And Jehovah said to Satan, Have you set your heart on My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, fearing God, and turning away from evil? And he is still holding to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to swallow him for nothing.  4 And Satan answered Jehovah and said, Skin for skin. Yea, all that a man has he will give for his life.  5 But indeed put out Your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse You to Your face.  6 And Jehovah said to Satan, Behold, He is in your hand; but preserve his life. 

  7 And Satan went out from before the face of Jehovah. And he struck Job with bad burning ulcers from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.  8 And he took a broken piece of pottery with which to scrape himself. And he sat down among the ashes.  9 And his wife said to him, Are you still holding fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!  10 But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish ones speak. Also, shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips. 

  11 And three friends of Job heard of all this evil that had come on him. And they each one came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite; Bildad the Shuhite; and Zophar the Naamathite. And they had met together to come to lament with him, and to comfort him.  12 And when they lifted up their eyes from a distance and did not recognize him, they lifted up their voice and wept then. And each one tore his robe. And they sprinkled dust on their heads toward the heavens.  13 And they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights. And no one was speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

In his heart, Job felt he was right before God and that the ailments he was having were from God.  Who wouldn't?  People blame God all the time for the difficulties in life, when in reality, it is evil that is at the root of their troubles.  Job's wife told him to curse God and die!!!  No support there!!! But his three friends were at his side for seven days and nights!!!  How many friends do you have that will do that for you?  But God was working behind the scenes and by the end of the book, Job comes out on top and EVERYONE COMES TO UNDERSTAND GOD (AND THEMSELVES) BETTER.  Job receives boutiful blessing from the Almighty and learns about God and himself.  He even prays for his three friends who went on and on about how Job must have sinned and brought all his troubles on himself.  As good as these three friends were, God was better- in fact, GOD is shown to be Job's best friend by the patient way he handles Job's attitude problem.  Humm, I wonder if God has a pet??? I hope it is a dog- I will feel right at home, then.