‘Agree with God, and be at peace;
in this way good will come to you.
Receive instruction from his mouth,
and lay up his words in your heart.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored,
if you remove unrighteousness from your tents,
if you treat gold like dust,
and gold of Ophir like the stones of the torrent-bed...

(Job 22:21-24)

You know these words (that were spoken by Job's friend, Eliphaz the Temanite) sound so reasonable and good. Doesn't agreeing with God sound good. But again with all of Scripture it is good to read all around the verses that catch your attention the way these three caught mine.

When I read around these verses I saw that once again Job's friend(s) were telling the sinless Job: 'You were of no use to God because you did not do what was right and that is the reason for all the evil that has come on you (vv. 1-11); you are not to challenge God (vv. 12-20); and you must be worshiping idols! (vv. 25-30).

My message to Job: "Right now don't agree with the god that your friends are presenting. For the true God is a God of love that does not cause evil, that does not desire it to occur, but who when all evil that is in one way or another caused by the human family does happen do receive the instruction from God's mouth. The world calls God's mouth "common sense". Overall, the Church of all denominations has called this "prevenient grace" -- the mercy of God that prevenes over all creation by giving the human family common sense, or a consciousness of what is good.

OK, Lord, when evil comes again, I will listen for your voice. That I say ... that I pray. May you do so as well.