Soap 32

Scripture

Job 2:1-13

The Second Test: Health
1-3 One day when the angels came to report to God, Satan also showed up. God singled out Satan, saying, "And what have you been up to?" Satan answered God, "Oh, going here and there, checking things out." Then God said to Satan, "Have you noticed my friend Job? There's no one quite like him, is there—honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil? He still has a firm grip on his integrity! You tried to trick me into destroying him, but it didn't work."
4-5 Satan answered, "A human would do anything to save his life. But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away his health? He'd curse you to your face, that's what."
6 God said, "All right. Go ahead—you can do what you like with him. But mind you, don't kill him."
7-8 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.
9 His wife said, "Still holding on to your precious integrity, are you? Curse God and be done with it!"
10 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's Three Friends
11-13 Three of Job's friends heard of all the trouble that had fallen on him. Each traveled from his own country—Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuhah, Zophar from Naamath—and went together to Job to keep him company and comfort him. When they first caught sight of him, they couldn't believe what they saw—they hardly recognized him! They cried out in lament, ripped their robes, and dumped dirt on their heads as a sign of their grief. Then they sat with him on the ground. Seven days and nights they sat there without saying a word. They could see how rotten he felt, how deeply he was suffering.

Observation

1. What is taken away from Job in this passage of Scripture?
Job's health was taken away from him.

2. What is his wife's response? What is Job's response?
Job's wife wanted him to curse God. Job said "How can we thank him for our good times and not the bad?"

3. How do Job's friends initially provide comfort to him when his world has fallen apart?
Job's friends where there to give him support though the though time Job had been having.

Application

1. When our health is compromised, why is it so hard to trust that God has a plan in the midst of so much pain and suffering?
I don't think it's just our health that we act this way. I think it's hard to see the whole picture when you don't know what's going to happen next. We always want to know the out come of any problem. It's like when we watch TV and our favorite show ends in a cliff hanger we always want to know whats going to happen next to them.

2. How can you provide comfort for those who are hurting?
The help that I can give is to just be there for them and let them know that I am their for them. If they ask I will give them advice. I just think knowing that someone is there for me in my time of need gives me comfort in knowing that people love and care for me.

3. Do you struggle with knowing what to say to someone who is going through a tragedy?
I think from being in a lot of tragedies to know that anything anyone says isn't going to make someone feel better but being there for them when they need someone to talk to about a problems. I know for me it makes me feel better. I have told others that I sometimes don't want to hear what they say but I want them to listen to what I have to say.

Prayer God, I know that there is a lot of people struggling to night, please help these people with their struggles. I know that I have struggles in my life that need to be answered but I have faith that you know what is right in my life. Please help my best friends family as they struggle though the sickness of a loved one. Help me focus on you. Speak to me and tell me what I need to do with my life right now because I am having a hard time focusing on what needs to be done right now in my life. You have put a lot of great people in my life to help guide me to where I need to be in my life, keep those people strong and show them understand. You are my one and only Love. Amen