Author Archives: Dr. Michael D. Baker

Job 32:11-12a, “I waited while you spoke, I listened to your reasoning, while you were searching for words, I gave you full attention.” Most scholars in the field of grief list “listening” as one of the top skills for caregivers. Though Elihu had heard all he wanted to from Job and was about to talk,Continue reading “Devotional: “Listening””

Job 30:31, “My harp is tuned to morning, and my flute to the sound of wailing.” For Job, his misery was so consuming that the only music his heart heard was that of mourning and wailing. His life had become a funeral dirge- a sad, sad song. Possibly, Job had a harp and a flute,Continue reading “Devotional: A Heart Tuned To Grief”

Job 29:25c, “I was like one who comforts mourners.” In Job 29, Job was reminded of better days, when he says, “God watched over me.” Then he began reminiscing how God had blessed him with wealth and influence. In that season of blessings, Job recalled how he helped a lot of people and was thankfulContinue reading “Devotional: Today You, Tomorrow Me”

Job 19:7, “I cry out, ‘Help!’ but no one answers me. I protest, but there is no justice.” NLT Job 23:3, “If only I knew where to find him so that I could go to his throne!” CSB Often the most difficult part of grief is the silence of God. We cry and we petitionContinue reading “Devotion: The Silence of God”

A story from Harold Ivan Smith’s book, A Decembered Grief: “Once upon a time a great king owned a beautiful diamond. But there was a problem. The diamond had a flaw- a scratch in the middle. It could never be given, worn, or admired. So, the king, who was used to having his subjects makeContinue reading “The Diamond with the Scratch”

Job 16:2b, “miserable comforters are you all.” No one intends on being “miserable comforters,” yet, like Job’s friends, we all have the potential to be just that – “miserable comforters.” As we mentioned in previous devotions, the first seven days, Job’s friends sat in silence, as they withheld their words. They offered the comforting presenceContinue reading “Devotional: “Miserable Comforters””

Job 9:25, “My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy.” For Job, the loss of his children was so devastating that he never thought he would experience joy again. Such is the case in many grief experiences, as people feel they will never experience joy again. For parents,Continue reading “Devotional: Will Joy Return?”

Job 4:2, “If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can keep from speaking.” In the immediate time after death, presence is essential for comforting the grief sufferer. The comforting presence of a friend is invaluable. But, one of the most common mistakes is the awkwardness of words. Silence isContinue reading “Devotional: The Awkwardness of Words”

Job 2: 11, “When Job’s three friends…., heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.” The story of Job’s friends comforting him in the loss of his adult children is a great exampleContinue reading “Devotional: The Comfort of Friends”

I’m Not Okay! John 11:32, “When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” I’ve recently received a message from one of our readers that expressed the emotional pain she is experiencing after losingContinue reading “Devotional: “I’m Not Okay””