The Blessing

Job 42:10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends.

How did I miss this for all these years past when I read the account of Job’s suffering yet remaining confident in God?  I had never noticed until this time that Job’s friends spent most of their time talking to Job about his lack of faith and failure to live up to God’s stands and yet God was very displeased with them and required a large sacrifice from them (see verses 1-4).  What struck me today was that it was only after they had “made things right” between themselves and God, and Job himself had prayed for them, only then did God restore Job’s fortunes!  Job was now ready, and so were his friends, to see God’s blessings in material ways.  They had all learned some important spiritual lessons so now they could see the material/physical aspects of blessing.  My ability to receive and enjoy physical blessing will be enhanced when I have grown in the spiritual understanding.