Read: Job 5-7
Focus Verse: “Now you too have proved to be of no help; you see something dreadful and are afraid. Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf, pay a ransom for me from your wealth, deliver me from the hand of the enemy, rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’? (Job 6:21-23).
Now Eliphaz, Job’s friend, is of no help. For 7 days Jobs friends sat in silence with him and mourned. Then they listened to Job. They were off to a great start. They were doing what should be done for someone mourning. They were offering their presence, patience, and listening. However, once this period ends, Job’s friend Eliphaz is the first to speak up. Some of what he says seems good; seek God (5:8), God is good, and God can do wonders (5:9). He gets a bit wrong too. He accuses Job that he must have done something to warrant all the death and destruction, but the reader knows that’s not true. Eliphaz is too quick to try and ‘fix’ his friends misery rather than continuing to be present with him. yes it must have taken amazing patience and restraint to sit in silence for 7 days, but at the end of 7 days Eliphaz jumps right to ‘fix-it’ mode. What length is an acceptable amount of time to mourn? Everyone is different so there really is not answer. Eliphaz was too quick to try to ‘fix’ what he perceives to be Job’s problem, rather than waiting for Job to be ready to move past his mourning. LORD be my strength to be present with people when they are in pain and mourning. Let me show the love of presence. Amen. “May the Lord of peace himself give you His peace at all times and in every situation.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)