Accepted Though Wrong

Have you ever been wrong and accepted anyway? The answer is a resounding YES.

“⁷After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: ‘My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. ⁸Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.’” – Job 42:7-8 (ESV)

You can see here that Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Maamithite were rebuked by God for not speaking of God in the proper way. God rightly is angered and could deal with them harshly if He so desired. But, He chose to treat them with love and accept them at the intercession of their friend Job.

“⁹So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Maamithite when and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.” – Job 42:9 (ESV)

The three friends of Job were clearly wrong in their actions, yet God provided a path of acceptance for them. The price was high, sacrifices of significant value, not to mention the outward admittance they were wrong. There was also the work of Job in the process of acceptance.

I wonder how much of the acceptance was for the benefit of Job. The men were wrong and had to admit as much openly to their friend and they were accepted in spite of that wrong.

We are wrong on a regular basis and yet, God provided acceptance and continues to accept us.

When you go through your days, are you aware of your wrong? Are you willing to admit and pay the price for that wrong? Are you aware that you are accepted though wrong?