Marilyn B. Jacobs Testimony

     A little about my background - I am Jewish.  My grandparents were orthodox Jews and my parents were very liberal Jews.  My understanding of Judaism came from my grandparents.  When I married, I was a traditional liberal Jew.

     I was proud of my heritage, as most Jewish people are.  I kept all the holidays and sent the children to Hebrew school.  I belonged to the local temple.  I was also very active in Hadassah, B'Nai B'Rith, Girl Scouts, and youth groups. I was a good righteous person.  My home was clean and my children came first.  I have a daughter and two sons.

     Life ran smoothly, as it does for most people; you only remember the good days.  When my children grew up I decided to work part time to help buy things we couldn't quite afford - and some extras.

     That was 18 years ago, I never worked part time.  I was hired as a store manager in a gift shop, and in the 18 years I climbed the ladder of success.  I was so proud of me.  Just a mother and housewife, and look at me!  I didn't have to go to college and study management or marketing, becuase it was like running a house or organization.  No big deal.  I then became a gift buyer and store manager and traveled extensively.  I was on top of the world.

     I bought all the things the kids needed plus things I wanted and needed for the house.  Oh, and also the clothes - and my car!  I ate, slept and drank my job.  I was very impressed with ME.

     Meanwhile, my youngest son became a believer.  He had messed around on pot and pills, so anything that would get him to cut his hair and clip that beard couldn't be all that bad.

     My husband and I checked him out, thinking he was in a cult.  But he was in a Bible-reading church, and if that made him glow like he was glowing - fine.  Only it kind of hurt to think he wanted to be a Gentile, and all that money wasted on Hebrew school and the bar mitzvah.

     Gary tried to tell me he was still Jewish - only "completed."  Completed in what?  It all fell on deaf ears.  He drove me crazy, telling his father and me we were sinners who must be "saved."

     What sins did his father and I commit?  We lived only for our children, gave them even that which we couldn't afford.  We weren't drunkards, gamblers, we didn't run around.  What sins?  Also, what is being "saved?"  Saved form what?

      In the evenings, though, my husband would sit and listen to my son.  I just patronized him.

      Then one day my son and I were alone, and he said, "Mom, you will never find God as long as you are working.  You are too wrapped up in yourself and you won't let God in.  So, Mom, I'm praying that you lose your job or God takes my life so you will stop long enough and find Him."

     I looked at him and said, "Are you crazy?  Who bought you all the things you wanted?  What would I do with myself?  I must keep busy.  You children are all grown up.  Bite your tongue for saying such a thing."

     Well, a year passed. Then on December 2, 1980, after making a spring buy, I was called to the office and fired.

     Total shock came over me.  I built up that store.  I did it all - the running of it - all the advertising - that job was my "god."  I would even call my boss "god."  I didn't know the first commandment then, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me...I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God..."(Ex. 20:3,5).

     I went home stunned.  What do I do now? I went into our sunroom and sat driving myself crazy on self-pity.  I had to keep busy or go nuts.  I remembered a friend who built herself a doll house, so I decided to build one from scratch and think at the same time.

     Meanwhile, it seemed that the whole outside world was cut off from me.  Eighteen years in the business, and no one even called to see if I were alive. After all I did for my help and all the reps with whom I did business.  To them I was dead.  I felt like that room was a vacuum of dead silence, and the only thing working was my self-pity.

     Where was everyone?  December passed and January was almost over, and now I was getting very angry at the whole world.  What had happened?

     Then all of a sudden I remembered what Gary said to me that day.  He prayed for this to happen to me, and his prayers were answered.  If I get my hands on him, I'll kill him!  What God would do such a thing?  Why?  I wasn't selfish.  Being agnostic and not too sure if God existed, I couldn't understand why someone up there would listen to Gary.

     Now I was really angry.  I was on my knees still working on the doll house, and I started to shout into that vacuum of a room, "Okay, You listened to Gary.  He says there is a God.  Now prove it to me.  Show me.  If You are out there, show me."  Now I didn't expect a flash of light or any miracle, but some kind of sign.  Maybe something I'll hear - or read - anything - who knows?

     About a week later, my niece called from Florida.  She was 31 and I have seen her a total of maybe four times in her life.

     I remembered that she, like Gary, believed in the Messiah.  I also believed she had changed her religion, too.  Even though she told me, "I am a fulfilled Jew like Gary," It fell on deaf ears.  I heard she was involved with something - Jews who believe that Jesus is the Messiah - but how could she remain a Jew if she had changed her religion?

     When I spoke to her I said, "Barbara, please come up.  I must talk to you about something." 

     In the middle of January Barbara flew up.  I gave her a blow-by-blow description of all the misery and despair I was going through, even to yelling out, "If there is a God, then show me."  I said to Barbara, "You know what?  Nothing - nothing has happened."  And there she stood, my tall niece holding her Bible, and she said, "Aunt Marilyn, to think the Lord is blessing me in this way.  I have been sent to you.  Where shall we start in this very Jewish book?"

     One week before Passover, April, 1981, my husband and I became believers on faith alone.  It is true; the veil has been lifted.  Second Corinthians 3:15-16 says, "But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.  Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away." 

    There is a God; the God of our forefathers - of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  And there is a Messiah.  Shortly after we became Hebrew Christians, we heard the broadcast, "Israel My Glory".  I realized that the speaker, Ken Meyers, was someone with whom I could identify.  I couldn't get over how how much he loved the Jews and Israel, so I wrote to The Friends of Israel, and they sent my letter on to Ken.

     I was so surprised when he called my husband and me.  We have become good friends, and I thank the Lord that he has led us to Ken.  We have just begun a Bible study in our home and Ken is our teacher.

     I still can't get over how the Lord works in our lives.  It's just great!