Captivity Turned

And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends.

Job is the story of a man who was assaulted by the adversary. He lost all his great wealth, his wife and his family, and he lost his health. He was counseled by three friends, who only blamed Job and explained his troubles as a result of Job’s own sin. Each one of them saw in Job a different weakness or fault, and expounded on it at length. Finally, it was God Himself who spoke to Job, and recounted His limitless power, His unequalled knowledge. What are we, in comparison to God?

Finally, Job realizes that there is nothing for him to say, except in praise and admiration of God. And God commanded that the men sacrifice together and pray for each other, and so be reconciled. It is when Job prays for the others that his captivity is turned. I’m sure that Job wasn’t feeling kindly towards his friends, who only had words of blame and injustice for him. When he needed comfort and encouragement, they gave him disappointment. Job compared their words to a brook that dries up in the summer. Just when you need comfort the most, it is not there.

But still, Job’s captivity is turned, not when he acknowledges God’s sovereignty, not when he sacrifices with the others, but when he prays for them. It is important to pray for others; to not “hog the blessings” and try to gather them all for oneself. When you pray for another, it is a giving that blesses you back.