Job 42:7-9 “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now…go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly.”
Studying the book of Job inspires me to be ready to forgive in all circumstances.
The completion of Job’s trial came in a way no one could have imagined. God told him to pray for the people who had falsely accused him. Yep, the ones who concluded Job’s sufferings were due to his wickedness. The ones who said his “evil was abundant” and there was “no end to his iniquities.” The ones who charged him of withholding justice, food and clothing for the needy, and who accused him of sending away widows and crushing orphans. The ones who said he was getting exactly what he deserved.
In order to pray for his accusers, he had to first forgive them. It completed him and it will complete us as well.
If I could put it into perspective, it’s like someone falsely accusing you of bigotry because you disagree with an immoral behavior. Or someone accusing you of stupidity because truth is more important to you than trends. Or someone you’ve made a gazillion sacrifices for accusing you of not caring. Who wants to pray for those people?
It sounds an awful lot like what Jesus told us to do in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Job, after receiving his own dose of grace from God, was able to see his accusers in the same light of God’s grace.
I don’t know about you, but all the hatred bubbling up in the world today troubles me. I’m especially disturbed when the brunt of blame lands on followers of Jesus who have done nothing wrong. I want to voice my indignation and hurl my own insults at the accusers. But Jesus says there’s a better way. A way that breaks our own chains of bitterness and has the power to release others from its grip. It’s the way of love. Love prays, it forgives, it completes.
Let’s not miss this important lesson from the book of Job.