God Centered Relationships  [Job 20]

    1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered,
    2"Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me respond,
         Even because of my inward agitation.
    3"I listened to the reproof which insults me,
         And the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
    4"Do you know this from of old,
         From the establishment of man on earth,
    5That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
         And the joy of the godless momentary?
    6"Though his loftiness reaches the heavens,
         And his head touches the clouds,
    7He perishes forever like his refuse;
         Those who have seen him will say, 'Where is he?'
    8"He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him;
         Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.

I can relate to Zophar's words because they are so human and self centered. First, he explained his agitation and how he felt reproved and insulted by Job's words. He completely missed Job's insight into the idea that God could be his kinsman-redeemer. I know that when I feel insulted, I can tune out the rest of the conversation and walk away just hearing the insult and miss the whole point of the conversation. Then, he continued to emphasize same things all three of the friends had already said about Job and God in his agitation. I can react just like that when I let my feelings drive my words and when I am not focused on the true God. It is easy for me in an agitated frame of mind to condemn and hurt people and misrepresent God.

This journey through Job has provided a clear illustration of the damage I can do (and have done) in relationships as a result of wrong thinking about God. Knowing the true God is a basic ingredient of healthy human interactions. By knowing, I mean having a growing intimate relationship with Him so that He becomes the filter for my emotions and thoughts and the guide of my words and actions.

Being in the Word each day, talking to Him about everything and being in fellowship with other believers are all ways God has provided to access the intimacy with God that is freely available to every believer. The overflow from our intimacy with Him will be God at work in all of our relationships.

We praise You, God, for making intimacy with You so freely available. Cause us to be willing to invest in our relationship with You as the most important thing so we can be more like Jesus in our relationships by Your grace.
Beth Warlick, 1/26/2011