We have been reading the book of Job together for a while, and many things that the players say are correct.  This can be confusing, but as Sam and I discussed yesterday, I think the overall point of the book is not only God’s sovereignty, but contains the practical message of turning to God.  We can see this message connected clearly from James 5:

‘You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.’

It doesn’t seem to Job in our current readings that God is compassionate or merciful, because Job is going through incredible trials, and will not remove the hand of Satan from him.  But what is more merciful?  Removing the present suffering? or allowing Satan to buffet Him while using the opportunity to make him more like Christ, and to allow him to learn valuable lessons about his Creator?

James continues:  ‘Is any among you suffering? He must pray.  Is anyone cheerful?  He is to sing praises.  Is any among you sick?  He must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if h has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.’

So we pray to God in suffering, praise God when cheerful, and have others pray to God for us when we are sick.  The answer to the question is then obviously ALWAYS.  No matter what the circumstances, we are to turn to God.

Job’s friends did not have the benefit of James’ advice, but if they did, rather than lecturing Job, they would have prayed over him in the name of the Lord, and trusted God to forgive him, even if they believed he had caused the sickness committed sin.  Job had already demonstrated this by sacrificing for his children in the first chapter. Would God have responded with immediate healing? Perhaps not.  But perhaps the book would be much shorter!  Nevertheless, God is sovereign, and sometimes we learn better from mistakes.  Let us all learn from these men, and turn to God daily.