At the Scent of Water
At the Scent of Water
At the Scent of Water
The Ground of Hope in the Book of Job
J. Gerald Janzen; foreword by Patrick D. Miller
Eerdmans, 2009
ISBN 9780802848291
Softcover, 152 pp.
6.0 X 8.9 X 0.5 inches | 0.5 pounds
In this remarkable rereading of the biblical book of Job -- often discussed as an attempt to "justify the ways of God to man" -- J. Gerald Janzen brings new light to Job's story, showing how God invites Job to give up the traditional logic of reward-punish-ment for a life-affirming strategy of risk-reward. From this perspective, affirmation of life in the face of all its vulnerabilities is the path to true participation in the mystery of existence. / At the Scent of Water traces Job's journey from prosperity, through calamity and bitter anguish, to an encounter with God's presence in a rainstorm that renews the earth and his own appetite for life. / Janzen includes a candid epilogue on his own struggle with aggressive prostate cancer, which enabled him to connect personally with Job and to find a fresh and illuminating grace. At the Scent of Water will especially resonate with any readers who have experi-enced grief or suffering.