Monday nights with Job (and Stu)

Job Rock

 

We are gathered in Stu's room tonight, the three of us: Ruth, Nancy, and myself.  Stu is in his bed, right foot keeping up a steady beat-----maybe to make up for his lifeless left side.  We are reading the fourth chapter of the book of Job together, and it strikes me that there are three of us-----just as Job had three friends.   Tonight we are hearing what Job's "friend" Eliphaz has to share with him.  Nancy nails it "He's kicking him when he's down!"  Makes me reflect how easy that is to do.  I'm sure Eliphaz thought he was being helpful.   

We feel the atmosphere in the room-----we hear the sounds:  Suzie down the hall, moaning again.   Stu comments:  "She does that every night".   Beeps, hums, footsteps.  We notice (in spite of how quiet he is) the roomate at the other end of the room, Dave.  He doesn't make a sound, but his eyes are wide open.  He is listening.   And we just keep reading, commenting, listening to each other.   Laughing. 

God is in the room with us.  His presence warms and charges the atmosphere.  We are safe, and we are worshiping him with this simple gathering.

Ruth reminds Stu that God strengthens us when we call out to him.  

Stu prays "Oh, Lord Jesus, I pray that you strengthen me to remember what we've said when these three women leave and I'm all alone for hours and hours. "   We can feel the ache in his heart as he prays-----and we know that the One he prays to will answer him.

We are his friends, and maybe we've learned something from the mistakes of Job's friends.  Hope so.    

Stu tells us that we must each kiss him on the forehead before we go.  So we do, and I sneak in an extra one.  

On the way out I say goodnight to Dave.  His eyes are still wide open.  I wonder what he's thinking.