Old Testament: Job 11.13–19

To read the Bible in a year, read Job 10–12 on June 27, In the year of our Lord Christ 2022

By Don Ruhl 

Job’s friends were persuaded that his massive suffering could be explained by his sin, and that if he would only put that sin away, his life would turn around, as Zophar maintained: 

“If you would prepare your heart,
And stretch out your hands toward Him;
If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away,
And would not let wickedness dwell in your tents;
Then surely you could lift up your face without spot;
Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear;
Because you would forget your misery,
And remember it as waters that have passed away…”

– Job 11.13–19 

Truly, we do need to prepare our hearts and stretch out our hands toward the Lord, and we need to put away iniquity from our lives, but that does not mean the person with whom we are talking, and who is struggling with enormous suffering, has not done those things. 

When a righteous person suffers, it is best to be present with them, rather than rebuking them for something that we think they may have done. 

Questions: 

• What is the best thing that someone said to you or did for you when you suffered? 
• Can you characterize your life as one that searches for the Lord daily? 

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Don preaches with the Savage Street Church of Christ in Grants Pass, Oregon. 

Listen to his sermons here: GrantsPassChurchOfChrist.com