As I finish yet another Section - Four out of Eight; meaning halfway through 52 Weeks with Jesus (devotional book by James Merritt) as I focus on JESUS in 2023; I realize that JESUS is the very BEST STORYTELLER, and there is even a Scripture in Hebrews (12:2) that calls Him, "the Author & Finisher of our faith". Although this verse is not speaking of Jesus, as the actual Author of our story, I do believe that He is ... since "author is an originator or Creator" and that He IS; Jesus is the ultimate Author and that is what He does in each believer's life as we hand our lives over to Him, and we can watch as He pens our story ... page after page, with all kinds of ups and downs, but He definitely is weaving each day or page into the next to create a tapestry of our entire faith journey. It may not be a Parable, yet I can see Jesus, teaching and using each thread to tie together the difference He makes in our lives; the days that He walks through our hard times and then all the beautiful moments He creates in our life. He calls each one of us to share our life with one another and with others that do not yet call Him, Lord and Savior. He wants our Story to make a difference for us and for others. As in the Parables, He wants us to share our common experiences - good and not-so-good - so that our STORY will connect with His Story, bringing us all closer together to understanding, with compassion and caring that unites us rather than divides us. He wants us to learn and grow closer to Him and others through our stories interlocking and changing us for the better. We all have a story to tell!
Surely, if JESUS has and was the STORY TELLER of your STORY, what might He want you to share. I love people who tell or share their STORIES. My father was like that and repeatedly he told and retold his stories of his STORY to anyone that came to visit so I heard them often. Many were his "world world II" stories, POW story and then some were about his amateur boxing days. But he was most often telling his STORY to all. I, too, enjoy story telling but not too often are they the ones from my personal life but rather ones already in a wonderful book. When I was in my high school Drama Class/Club, part of an assignment once was to tell & act out a story. My favorite one was Dr. Seuss' "Horton Hatches the Egg". Right now, this summer, the birds have chosen to build their nests close to our house entrances above the doors - this is not the delight you may think it could be. But back to telling our stories...or better said/written -God's story in our Story. Because HE is and that's the best part.
Years ago, back in 2010, I decided to attempt to put my STORY together as how I saw and understood it at that time. I think that if I wrote a new STORY of my faith journey now, it would hopefully be different and better. Yet I am sharing the links to that attempt to share my STORY
again here - I had just gone through a devastating experience in the last month of 2009, which might have influenced my writing or train of thought as I wrote; a very dear close friend had taken his life and I discovered him. A life shattering experience like that profoundly impacts your heart, soul and mind. It is one of many throughout my life that I know - without Jesus - I would not have made it! Jesus changes everything! And our prayers change everything! So clearly, our STORIES are meant to change and inspire, encourage and impact the lives of those around us. I hope my STORY may help you see how God loves & desires us to be image bearers that bear our stories - one to another; seeing our differences and similarities as we press on and continue to deepen our faith, strengthen our hope and increase our love for one another through Jesus Christ, who took all our stories & brought them to the Cross to redeem and forever change us to be more like Him. May you see Jesus in my STORY!
THIS IS MY STORY... Part I. |
