MARGIES BIMS

SATAN TALKS TO GOD- JOB 2 ***************

AGAIN THERE WAS A DAY WHEN THE SONS OF GOD CAME TO PRESENT THEMSELVES BEFORE THE LORD, AND SATAN CAME ALSO AMONG THEM TO PRESENT HIMSELF BEFORE THE LORD. AND THE LORD SAID TO SATAN, "FROM WHERE DO YOU COME?"

SATAN ANSWERED THE LORD AND SAID, "FROM GOING TO AND FRO ON THE EARTH, AND FROM WALKING BACK AND FORTH ON IT."

THEN THE LORD SAID TO SATAN, "HAVE YOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT JOB, THAT THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM ON THE EARTH, A BLAMELESS AND UPRIGHT MAN, ONE WHO FEARS GOD AND SHUNS EVIL? AND STILL HE HOLDS FAST TO HIS INTEGRITY, ALTHOUGH YOU INCITED ME AGAINST HIM, TO DESTROY HIM WITHOUT CAUSE."

SO SATAN ANSWERED THE LORD AND SAID, "SKIN FOR SKIN! YES, ALL THAT A MAN HAS HE WILL GIVE FOR HIS LIFE. BUT STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND NOW AND TOUCH HIS BONE AND HIS FLESH, AND HE WILL SURELY CURSE YOU TO YOUR FACE!"

AND THE LORD SAID TO SATAN, "BEHOLD, HE IS IN YOUR HAND, BUT SPARE HIS LIFE." SO SATAN WENT OUT FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, AND STRUCK JOB WITH PAINFUL BOILS FROM THE SOLE OF HIS FOOT TO THE CROWN OF HIS HEAD........

NOW WHEN JOB'S THREE FRIENDS HEARD OF ALL THIS ADVERSITY THAT HAD COME UPON HIM, EACH ONE CAME FROM HIS OWN PLACE- ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE, BILDAD THE SHUHITE, AND ZOPHAR THE NAAMATHITE. FOR THEY HAD MADE AND APPOINTMENT TOGETHER TO COME AND MOURN WITH HIM TO COMFOR HIM.

AND WHEN THEY RAISED THEIR EYES FROM AFAR, AND DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM, THEY LIFTED THEIR VOICES AND WEPT... SO THEY SAT DOWN WITH HIM ON THE GROUND SEVEN DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS, AND NO ONE SPOKE A WORD TO HIM, FOR THEY SAW THAT HIS GRIEF WAS VERY GREAT.

WE RIGHTLY DISPARAGE JOB'S THREE FRIENDS FOR THEIR INSENSITIVE RESPONSE TO HIS SUFFERING. YET WHEN THEY CAME, THEY SAT IN SILENCE BESIDE JOB FOR 7 DAYS BEFORE SPEAKING. AS IT TURNED OUT, THOSE WERE THE MOST ELOQUENT MOMENTS THEY SPENT WITH HIM.

IN OUR SHATTERED TIMES, ANGUISH RELENTS
NOT AT MERE IDLE WORDS SPOKEN IN VAIN,
BUT RATHER FROM THE SILENT ELOQUENCE
BESTOWED BY THOSE RARE SOULS WHO SHARE OUR PAIN.

OFTEN, THE BEST COMFORT IS JUST BEING THERE. I HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

HAVE A HAPPY, BLESSED DAY*************
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