Broken Praise- Todd Smith (with lyrics) The kind of friend I want to be

My girlfriend, Heidi, sent me a Facebook note a few weeks back, maybe and asked me to consider typing a note about Job's friends.  In normal Kellie fashion, I said Of COURSE I would, after all I have LOTS of experience with Job's friends the last few years.  Certainly, I could find a way to use all my experiences (there have been many the last 2+ years!)  and thoughts to type an eloquent essay on exactly how words add pain to friends already in pain and how we aren't to do such things.  Umm....NOT!

The simple fact is that just one week later, a friend I first met when she was Miss W, shared a heart ache with me.  Miss W was an amazing Witness to me of Christ's love while we were in school together and I watched her life and the life of her Mom, a constant at childhood school events of ours.  I was drop dead jealous of her relationship with her sweet mom and continued to watch their family as we both grew up.  When I finally made a commitment to Christ in Oct of 86, it was partly because of Miss W in my life as a childhood friend.

Therefore, I was surprised when out of my heart came less than helpful words when she shared a recent heartache.

"So, you aren't one of Job's friends yourself?" is the answer my heart gave me back.

Ouch!  There I was face to face with my own immaturity.  I had a couple of choices in that moment.  I could try to justify my initial thoughts or repent quickly from it, thank the Lord I hadn't spoken it aloud and pray earnest prayers on my friend's behalf.  I chose the prayerful way and was quickly reminded of the friend I wanted to be to Miss W now that we are grown up wives and moms.

We have such an example of the friend we are to be in the Gospels.  Jesus entered a town and was preaching inside a home.  It was crowded and there was no way to enter inside the home: EXCEPT THROUGH the ROOF!  Friends of a paralyzed man carried him on his mat up to the roof, tore off the roof and lowered their friend down in front of Jesus to receive a much needed healing.  The man was healed in the presence and name of Jesus to rise up and walk.  He took up his mat and did just that!

That's the kind of friend I want to be.  Tearing off the roof and lowering those who share requests with me down to the throne of Jesus, for Him to love and care for!  Always pointing to the Cross for joy and comfort and healing has become a mantra for me in my Walk the last year or more.

Job's friends kicked sand in his open wounds with all their theology and ideals.  A broken man, sitting in ashes, heaped with boils on his skin and sorrow unbearable in his heart said "Though He slay me, Yet will I trust Him."  There's an example for us to follow.  In our home, we've had to cling to it at times when some have shared their thoughts with us.

These last few posts are just some of the ways of "How I'm doing it."  I don't know how to walk this horribly broken road we are walking still today.  Insecurity, fear, great financial struggle, loss of oh so much more than can be written.  We aren't walking total restoration as of yet.  There's so much more that needs to be accomplished in our lives to receive the total restoration Job did receive.  But I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I know the only Person capable of healing us, restoring us and setting us upon the path we are to walk for His Glory.  John and I both must turn to the Cross, the Messiah who died upon it for us and the Empty Tomb He left for our direction and guidance.

We both must, separately and together, believe that if the only restoration we fully receive is our Salvation and that if our cup is never restored fully again.  We'll both sing: HALLELUJAH!  You are enough, Jesus, our Messiah!

next up:  Standing is tough stuff!