Spread the Rumour

I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand - from my own eyes and ears! Job 42:5 (MSG)

I find myself deeply immersed in the reading of this book, highly recommended by a good friend of mine, called Jesus Is. It tells stories about who Jesus really is in a very simple today's language. It quickly captivates my attention --and my emotion-- 'til I can't stop nodding my heads and say, "This is new. This is awesome."

I love good stories, even more the great ones. Well, who doesn't? And as I recall Job, I picture him sitting under a tree with some of his friends just right before his tent, exchanging stories. When the night comes, the audience changes, his grandchildren gather around him, and he began the "Once upon a time..." story.

That is before Job going through hell-on-earth and back. After his unimaginably painful sufferings, Job finally acknowledges that God is mighty and powerful and he is alive. He has an experience with God. It is no longer the stories of his friends.

While pondering on this verse, a thought kicks in. Is it possible for Job to know that the experiences he goes through is from God, if Job has never heard of the story of God before? I personally do not think Job will know. He will rather believe that he is out of luck or all the curse cards are falling upon him.

Job must have felt that it has happened before, to someone in some places, distant. He must have felt that what is happening to him is not new. He hears about it before. Thus, he hangs on --until God returns what is taken away from Job.

What I see in this story was not just how Job experiences God first hand but the stories of how people --and maybe Job's friends-- tell stories about their experiences with God. They do not keep silent. They see the great work of God, his creation, his miracles, and his salvation, and they share it to the world. These sharing of experiences, I dare to say, build up the faith of Job --a man who's known as the most durable man on the history of the earth. Without them, Job might not be as strong as he will be.

Have you shared the goodness and the coolness of God with people in your life today? There may just be a person who needs to hear it lest he will not make it 'til dawn.

Faith comes through hearing, and hearing of the Word of God. Romans 10:17 (KJV)