Job and Grant

Recently I decided to read through the book of Job in the Bible since I've never really seen what it's all about. At camp on Fridays at lunch time they show this video to the middle school kids talking about suffering and the man ties it all back to Job and how he lost everything yet still praised God. There's also one of my good friends that I've gotten to know these past couple of months who actually has Job 1:21 tattooed on his right arm. So I decided to check it out.  

         On one of my two-hour breaks I began reading the book of Job and only read a few chapters because it really dives right into how Job suffered in his lifetime. He literally lost all of his servants, his livestock, his house, and all of his family. This news was given to him all in the same moment. Then it goes on to say “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship.” Worship? I’m not sure if a lot of our responses would be to get on our knees to worship God after all of that. Yet he did and it says he did not sin during that whole period of time.

         So that’s about where I stopped reading that day, because it left me thinking about a lot. I started walking and I thought to myself, have I even had very many random trials in my life where I could still worship God regardless. Well I haven’t had anyone close to me die and I do struggle with different things temptation wise daily, but I haven’t had one of these tests in a long time… It wouldn’t be long until God answered that question for me.

         The next day I started my 24hr break at 10am and I was pretty excited, because I needed to rest and I also planned on getting some yummy food instead of camp food. Well when I went back to my cabin at 10am I slept for a little and then got up and decided to hand wash some of my clothes in this bucket that I’ve been using then hang them up to dry. (I decided to do this halfway through the summer so I can save some money instead of doing it in town) After that I took a shower considering it had been awhile and I thought it’d be a smart decision. Then I would head to staff parking where my friend Ryan had his car that he was letting me borrow. On my way into town is where everything starts to change.

         I headed east on 258 and came up to a road-closed sign and decided to go a little further to see how bad the flooding was, it was pretty bad and pretty cool looking, but I turned around. I remembered that I can turn at Cortland and go the back way through there. I started to go down that road when I cam across the first patch of flooding and honestly it wasn’t very deep and I was in a SUV so I went through and I made it. Then the next patch of water seemed a little deeper but very manageable. I started to go through it when all of a sudden my car begins to stop. My first reaction wasn’t the cleanest choices of words, but then I immediately thought, everything will be okay. I was in the middle of the stretch of water and thought well I’m stuck so I probably should call 911 because honestly I don’t know anyone around. This was my first time calling 911 and it was this nice lady who helped me and said they’d be there, but it would take a while.

Meanwhile water began coming through the bottom of the doors and started to fill the car. I decided to take off my shoes and then sit on my seat. At this point I decided why not get on the roof of the car where it’s most safe and try and read my Bible. As I was in the thinking process I noticed someone back down the road where the blue house is and a few people gathered and where talking. Next thing I know several cars were down there and it looked like they were going to save me. I still got on the roof and attempted to read but my mind was all over the place. I had Job on my mind and thought about how I’d like to talk to these people about Job. All of a sudden a red truck starts to back up through the water and it eventually gets close to the car and he tells me to hop on. So I throw my backpack and then jump on. I was barefoot because I left my shoes in the car and I was just sitting there as he got me out from the water.

 We arrived where everyone else was and I felt pretty embarrassed. I was like God do you really want me to talk to all of these people about Job? There was a younger family, two guys in a truck, and another truck with 5 or 6 people in it, Scott who saved me, and an older couple in a gator. Oh and there was this dog who immediately came over to me and I loved on him and he even sat for me. Honestly that dog made me feel more comfortable at the moment.

At that point I was awkwardly standing around as they all talked then I decided to go up to the truck with all the people and say

“ so is this the stupidest thing you’ve seen someone do?”

a bigger man in the back says “Well no, but you’re definitely in the family of stupid.”

We all laughed including myself. I told them how it wasn’t my car and they also laughed at that and I said everything will be okay and the lady said “Well that’s a first.” After a few more minutes everyone started to disperse and it was just Scott and I who were still standing there. Grant the barefooted, long red hair held back by a bandana, looking hippie next to a taller old man wearing, worn boots, jeans, and a mechanic shirt with his name sown right on it in big letters, SCOTT. We started talking and he told me not to worry about it because honestly he had saved 3 other people today. I started asking him questions about his life and also about his small town. He said his family had owned this property for the past 150 years, but now there’s more friends and family that own it. Scott himself owns a mechanic shop and has been running that for the past 25 years. After getting to know him a little bit I asked him

“Hey Scott do you go to church anywhere?”

He said “ Yea Cortland Christian Church, just right up the road.”

Then I went on to ask Scott  “Well have you ever read the book of Job in the Bible?”

He said it’s been a very long time and honestly it didn’t sound like he had at all. I went on to tell him about how Job had lost everything, all his servants and even his house and family, but how through all this he still worshipped God. I said you know it’s an inconvenience that my car, sorry my friend’s car is stuck in the water, but honestly it’s the least that could be happening to me right now. Scott didn’t say much, but I could tell he was intrigued. I guess I wouldn’t have to talk to everyone about Job after all; I just had a little conversation with Scott about it.

         Scott and I stood there for a while as we awaited the sheriff to arrive and he assured me it wouldn’t be to much longer. Once the officer arrived Scott talked to him for a bit, but then he started talking to me. He talked to me about towing, but said I didn’t have enough money on me. Then he went on to ask me where I needed to go and I said if anything Springhill. He said hop in, so I walked over still barefoot grabbed my bag then got in the front seat of a sheriff’s car…yikes.

         Here’s the thing I recently have started a prayer journal and on the first page there is a prayer that talks about not necessarily loving the police system, but for God to equip me to love the individual. Without realizing it until later, God answered my prayer. I put aside all the hate I have for the police, because of the way they have treated my friends and even myself and just tried to get to know the person in front of me. I began talking with Adam and asked a few questions about him and then he started asking questions about Springhill. I was able to tell him about what we do all summer and a little bit about how God works there. He actually ended up driving me all the way up to the lodge where my heart actually dropped for a second as I saw almost all of res-staff in their polo’s sitting there as I got out of a police car. Walking out barefoot I was like it’s not what it looks like I promise, It’s not what it looks like!! Pretty funny moment for sure.

But before I got out of the police I car I asked Adam if there was anything I could be praying for and he responded with “Yea my wife is pregnant.” I was just like whoa and I assumed that he was telling me this because I don’t know anyone he does and he said yes. Adam also told me that he hasn’t told anyone yet at all. (Also assuming you guys don’t know who this man is?) I told him I could definitely be praying for you and your wife.

         Well I’d like to end the story with my connection with Job there, but it continues. The day after I started to receive these gross sores that had crusty yellow stuff coming from them. It started off small but then it started to spread a ton by the next day. Soon enough I had theses sores all over my body, but mainly concentrated on my face and the back of my neck. On top of that I began to have blisters all over my palms, the bottom of my feet, and in my mouth/throat. At first I was fairly upset because I honestly had no idea what was going on and I was paranoid. Then later on I recognized that attitude and remembered Job once more. Yes I am feeling terrible right now, but still I must praise the name of the Lord.

The camp doctor actually ended up telling me I had hand, foot, mouth and he wasn’t sure about the sores so he put me on an antibiotic. I was already heading home the next day anyway so I got the medicine then. Soon enough I find out that it’ll take about a week to go away which means I’d miss this next week of camp. I wasn’t sure why God wouldn’t want me to work this week but I still trusted Him.

         As I was home I actually was looking at artist’s depictions of job when I saw one with Job covered in bumps and I was confused so I re-read the beginning. In Job 2:7 it actually says “So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.” At that moment it was sort of weird realizing this past week and realizing how much my life aligned with the story of Job.

         I never knew reading Job would lead to this experience and how God would teach me about suffering in such a real way. I actually ended up reading the rest of Job a week after I started it and it means so much to me now. There was a time after I was back at camp from getting stuck in the water where God put something on my mind. All I heard was Grant this was a test where you showed your faithfulness to me and worshipped me regardless and I also showed you my faithfulness by keeping you safe and alive. Oh and the weird part was that the car ended up being fine and working. I knew God was going to use me somehow as I went into Seymour, but I never would’ve guessed it involved me getting stuck in water and talking to one man about Job.

         Overall what I have learned from Job is that God is still there while you’re suffering even if He is silent. Also to continue to praise Him regardless even while you’re in the midst of pain and suffering, because He loves me always and will always be faithful to me.

Job and "Friends"