After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes.
Job 42, 10
Job got a bad disease, so bad that his suffering and unhappiness is proverbial even today.
It lasted until he realized that the Lord is THE Lord. He determines sovereignly over us. He can send disaster or salvation, as it seems right to him. It does not depend so much on us and whether we keep the commandments.
Job realized that he could only worshiping fall down before the Lord and accept everything from His mighty hand. And then the Lord went one step further with Job. His friends had been searching for his faults with a microscope. They said, if someone is so smitten by God, he must have sinned. But that was a totally wrong understanding of God! He was angry with the friends who were so very for errors and sin; they have not spoken correctly about him. The Lord said to them, Job should lay sacrifice and intercession for them; – That was certainly a strong humiliation of the friends who had condemned him. And to Job the Lord said: Pray for them!
The friends had hurt Job very much and increased his suffering. And yet He sacrificed for them and interceded for them before God, lest they be punished by God. God listened to Job’s prayer. He pardoned the friends and turned Job’s fate.
Intercession is very, very important to the Lord. It shows we forgave the other, and our heart is cleansed of all bitterness, pure for Him and His glory. God can not dwell in a bitter, accusatory, self-pitying heart. Once we let go of the pain and our own righteousness, He comes and fills us with His mercy, love and joy. He gives the spirit of worship and intercession and grace. This rolls our whole life into a very, very positive direction.
Try it! Say goodbye to all bitter, accusatory and self-pitying thoughts and let yourself be full of His Spirit! Start to pray for your accuser, so right from the heart! Have compassion for them, because otherwise it will be terrible for them to fall into the hands of the living God.
Thank you Heavenly Father, You are the God of reconciliation! You have reconciled me with you. You help me to forgive other people. You help me not to be evil to anyone because You heal my heart. Yes, it is nice to live in the freedom of forgiveness !!
Bible Reading Today: 2 Peter 1: 1 – 11