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Enjoy Life, Enjoy God


Dale Patterson

ELIPHAZ THE FRIEND

January 26, 2012

When our life goes into the tank, not only do many of us want a reason, want an explanation, many of our friends are willing to tell us why we're in hell.

Consider now: Who, being innocent, has every perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed? As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.
---Job 4:7,8 TNIV

Eliphaz, Job's friend, lives where many of us do: In the land of cause and effect. "If Job is living in hell, it must because he's been raising hell. Good guys don't get punished," Eliphaz counsels, "so friend, you must be reaping what you've sowed." Maybe it would be better if Job's friend, Eliphaz, just kept his mouth shut, or simply said, "Job, I'm sorry you're in this hell."

Reading Job, we learn that "cause and effect" thinking, that is sooooo common amongst us rationalizing humans, cause and effect ain't necessarily so. Caution: Eliphaz is no example of a FRIEND to follow.

Joyfully,

Dale Patterson