Can't Live in Crumbs of Rumors

"I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand-from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry-forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor."  Job 42:5-6

These are the words that Job speaks after God has given him the what for. Job and his friends were busy spewing what they thought God did and did not do. They used their reason, experience, and even what others had said about God to explain what had happened to Job.

God let them talk. He let them posture and preach to each other about why and how God punishes those who have sinned. Job kept focusing on his own righteousness. God let them talk and then He stepped in. He spoke directly to Job and let him know who He was.

I love Job's response, because I know I can relate and I bet many others can too. How often have I listen to others tell me who God is, how God works, and what He does or does not do. I can honestly say that I have spend more time listening, and believing the crumbs of rumors or crusts of hearsay about God, than I have listened directly from Him. I want to see and hear God for myself. I don't want to just hear about Him. I want to hear Him. I don't just want to just see Him through others. I want to see Him.

I never thought I'd ever say that I wanted to be like Job, but maybe I want to be like him at little bit.