Job's Backstory

Job 1:1-5 (NLT)

1 There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters. 3 He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.4 Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. 5 When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

In Sunday school, we have been studying the book of Job. I wonder what thoughts come to mind when you read the verses above...Job's backstory. Five verses are all that's needed to describe Job's life before all chaos broke loose. Then, 41 1/2 more chapters to describe Job's trial...his storm...his shipwreck...Job's tragedy. So what does come to your mind? Do you close the book when you see Job's introduction? Are you afraid that what you study is what you are about to live, because you've seen that happen too many times before? Do you cringe because you do not want to even think about the terror Job faces beyond these verses? I wonder too, what is your backstory? How would you be introduced if we were all about to read an account of your struggles? Oddly, I remember a precise moment when as a young wife and mother, I said to a friend on the telephone while standing in my kitchen in KY, "I have never really suffered that way..." referring to the crisis someone else was facing. I think that might have been the end of my backstory for after that it seems for years one struggle came and then another and another... Through those crises, my Lord taught me and trained me and grew my faith. He nurtured me and met me many times in His Word. Today, I'm not so focused on how many people know my backstory. What I want people to know about me today is my testimony...the story of my spiritual journey with my Lord. Somehow in those times of trial, we get a perspective of our Lord that we can't glimpse from any other place. Have you ever seen a bubble wand made out of a hula hoop that enables a person standing in a shallow container of soapy water to have a bubble pulled up around them? That perspective is something someone standing on the outside can not even imagine no matter how many bubbles they've seen. Where do you stand right now? Are you living your backstory? Are right in the middle of a struggle? Are you ready to share your testimony?