Praying For Others In Suffering

Job 42:7-10

Can you imagine being in a hospital bed? The prognosis is not good. All the medical experts are telling you that there is nothing more they can do for you. The pain is so severe that you have actually prayed for death. However, here you are; still laying in this bed. It feels so unfair. What did you do to deserve this? When you feel like you are at your lowest point, the nurse sticks her head in and tells you that you have visitors. Peeking from around her are your three best friends. Finally something good!

However, when the nurse leaves, your friends do not offer you comfort. Instead, they tell you that all your suffering is your fault. You must have done something terrible for God to bring all this on you. They want to know what your deep dark secret is. When you tell them that you do not have one, they actually get mad at you and call you a liar. Now, all you want is for them to leave. Could things get any worse?

That is basically where Job found himself. Then, God spoke to him. That didn't go like Job imagined it would either. However, Job came out of that conversation with a better perspective of who God was and how unholy he was before God. Though a hard lesson for Job, it was a good one. That is where our passage picks up.

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And so it was, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. 8 Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD commanded them; for the LORD had accepted Job. 10 And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Job 42:7-10

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After all their harsh words and ill treatment, God tells Job's friends that He will judge them for their behavior if Job does not intercede in prayer for them. Can you imagine being in this position? Job had the opportunity to make them answer for how they had treated him. However, while this was a serious situation for the friends, it was also a trial for Job. Was he going to truly be Godly and righteous, or would he be selfish? We must ask ourselves, "What would I do if I was in Job's position?". How many times do we have the opportunity to pray for someone who has made our life more difficult and we don't?

Job's blessing from God was contingent upon Job praying for his friends who had mistreated him. It was only after Job interceded in prayer for them that he was healed, his wealth was restored, and God blessed him with more children. Job had to demonstrate a pure heart with pure motives. What's more, Job had no idea that there was even the chance of being blessed. His motives were pure and selfless. He didn't pray for them for what he could get out of it. He interceded for his friends for God to forgive them, and in so doing, he also forgave them himself.

God help me to be willing to pray for those who hurt me and add to the difficulty of this life. May I intercede on their behalf, just as Jesus intercedes for me. Create in me a heart to wants to pray for others, regardless of how they treat me. Create in me a heart like yours!