March 24, 1999, Wednesday

When the best advisors and counselors do not have answers

that seem to apply to your situation, what can you do? Can

one find understanding when answers are difficult to find?

Do difficult circumstances and events have a useful purpose?

The Scripture tells us that Job's friends attempted to find

a logical explanation for his terrible difficulties. However

Job expressed frustration that their answers didn't add up--

"You have closed their minds to reason; don't let them

triumph over me now" (Job 17:4). No comfort for Job was

found in the initial reasoning of his three friends. It appeared

to Job that his friends had concluded that there must be hidden

sins for someone to have so much trouble. There was one young

friend that appeared on the scene (Eliphu), that was able to

counsel on Job's suffering by faith and reason from God.

Eliphu explained quickly that men may counsel and use skills

of wisdom, however it is God that gives a man understanding-

"But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Lord

God Almighty give them understanding" (Job 32:8). Job began

to progress as he began to understand God's right to control

every event in his life. Job began to grow spiritually as he

realized God may have a purpose for him that perhaps was not

in his view. He let go and let God have His way.

Eliphu stated further that the criteria for friends to give

wise counsel was not greatness or age, but God's revelation--

"Great men are not always wise and neither do the aged always

have good understanding or judgment" (Job 32:9). Eliphu was

able to convince Job that a new way of thinking was in order.

Job realized that the mediator for him was Christ, and that

he was a new creature in Him. Much concentration and effort

had been put to the discovery of hidden sin by Job and his

friends without any favorable conclusion. But when Job saw

things from another view, God's revelation came to him. God

spoke to him out of the whirlwind and he understood that he

must not question God's right, wisdom, or purpose for events.

Let us remember who is the Creator of the universe. God's

Name is Jehová Hoseem. He is the God who is the Creator

of our faith and reason. He is the Creator of our growth

and progress in Him. He is the Creator of the New Creature

spiritually. Trust Him and Praise Him Today for all the

"new" that has come and the "old" that has passed away. He

is determined to bring us joy as we progress in Him.