#DailyDevotion When you become appalling to the nicest people.
February 22nd
Read Job 17:1-16
Job 17:7-8 My eye has grown dim from vexation, and all my members are like a shadow. (8) The upright are appalled at this, and the innocent stirs himself up against the godless…10 But you, come on again, all of you, and I shall not find a wise man among you. (11) My days are past; my plans are broken off, the desires of my heart.
Some of the nicest people are actually appalled at weakness and sickness. They cannot visit the sick or go to hospitals. They are appalled. Why are they appalled? The weakness and sickness of others reminds them of their own sinful condition. To look upon it puts fear into their hearts they may end up, indeed, there is a good chance if they live long enough they will end up the same way.
Maybe you are sick in such a condition that your eyes have grown dim and the members of your bodies are as nothing. You look around and there are people who normally are around you but cannot be found now. It’s nothing personal. Their spirit is simply weak. Do not be too hard on them. But you are suffering. Where is your comfort?
God will send those to comfort you. Don’t be too hard on them either. They will say a lot of stupid things. They mean well. You may be tempted with Job to say to them, “I shall not find a wise man among you.” Take your comfort that they are there and not in what say. You probably don’t want to work up the strength to put up with them, but you will find enough of it to tell them they don’t know what they are talking about. Just tell them you appreciate them being there.
Take your comfort in this: There is someone who has descended into the grave, into the ground with you. That someone is God himself, in the flesh, Jesus Christ. He took our illnesses, guilt and shame upon his flesh and soul during the time of his visible presence. He suffered upon the cross our suffering. He took upon himself the indignity of our death and burial. In all this, he was there with us presently in our afflictions. He knows what we are going through and he has sanctified our sufferings and made them his own. So we are not alone and there is someone who does know what we are going through because is going through it with us and experiencing it with us.
Heavenly Father, in the midst of our afflictions remind us our Lord Jesus Christ’s sufferings so we may be comforted by them and when we visit the suffering help us to put the life of Christ into their death. In Jesus’ name. Amen.