5-27-24<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last week\u2019s message inspired more responses from readers than we usually receive. It was a Guest essay by Christine Eves, a story about wanting to share her love of Jesus with some repairmen \u2013 more properly, I should say, her story of wanting to share the love Jesus has for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Readers reported having \u201cbeen there\u201d \u2013 wanting to \u201cwitness,\u201d or invite, or pray with someone\u2026 but sometimes being reluctant. Well, her story was testimony of how God provides the circumstances, and gives us the words, when we seek such help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s how God works. He is \u201cour ever-present help in time of trouble\u201d\u2026 and even when \u201ctrouble\u201d is not a crisis but a desire to do His will. You might say it is a job description of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I want to have us remind ourselves that, as with prayer and so many other things in God\u2019s kingdom, \u201cstory\u201d is a two-way street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We want to tell God\u2019s story, to share His goodness and His admonitions and His promises. We should ache to do so; we should be overflowing with passion to tell the story of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But no less \u2013 do you know this? do you believe this? \u2013 God is just as excited to tell our<\/em> story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bible is full of stories about His people. How they might have struggled, even grievously sinned, but overcame<\/em>. How the faithful were blessed\u2026 and how even harlots and murderers found salvation. Hebrews Chapter 11 is called the \u201cHall of Fame of Faith\u201d \u2013 recounting the stories of notable figures who persevered and came through. The Disciples were a ragtag, average bunch who eventually changed the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a real way, the entire Bible is an album of average people having common challenges and experiencing supernatural breakthroughs in their lives. Remember the Bible verse \u2013 and picture it \u2013 that \u201call of Heaven rejoices when a sinner is saved\u201d!<\/p>\n\n\n\n A church I attended in Philadelphia, a large congregation that attracted many visitors each Sunday, ended its services with an invitation for anyone who was moved by the message to come forward and confess a desire for salvation, and receive prayer. The pastor sometimes waited. And, occasionally, waited and waited. The worshipers did too. But when someone went forward, the church erupted in applause and cheers, holy encouragement. What a picture of Heaven!<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, I am talking about the \u201cother side of the coin\u201d of the desire to share the story of Jesus. In uncountable ways, God desires to tell our stories too. Jesus invites. The Holy Spirit moves. We respond. And Heaven rejoices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another confirmation of this point of view: we are assured that, when confessing Christ, \u201cour names are written in the Lamb\u2019s Book of Life.\u201d In that sense, the Gospel Story never has a \u201cThe End<\/em>.\u201d In another sense, we read the exposition of the Gospel Message in many of the Epistles; but it is legitimate to substitute your<\/em> name, your<\/em> town, maybe your<\/em> church, where in the New Testament those books begin, \u201cThe letter to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I want to tell you about two servants of God who had passions to both hear and tell the Story of Jesus\u2026 and in so doing, their<\/em> stories have become blessings to millions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frances J Crosby, born in the 1800s, was blinded as an infant by the application of bad topical medicine to an eye ailment. \u201cFanny\u201d was talented and industrious and worked in several jobs, including at a home for blind children (her secretary was a young Stephen G Cleveland, who, as Grover Cleveland, became US President many years later). When she was past 60 years old she began to write poetry and hymn lyrics. By the time she died, into her 90s, she wrote more than 8000 poems and hymns. Many of them are in every denomination\u2019s hymnals today. Katherine Hankey was a rough contemporary of Fanny Crosby but lived in England, where she was a follower of William Wilberforce, active in anti-slavery crusades. Unlike Fanny, she was born into a wealthy family, and similarly preached on street corners; but she too was afflicted, not losing her sight but her strength. Doctors eventually confined her to bed and she was distraught that she could not share Jesus on city streets and docksides. Eventually, before she died, groups of visitors appeared at her house to hear her messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emblems of their faith, Fanny wrote the classic song Tell Me the Story of Jesus<\/em>; and Kate wrote the memorable I Love To Tell the Story.<\/em> Now we tell their<\/em> stories as well as Jesus\u2019s: different ways to share His love and how He works in our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is there a story you <\/em>can tell that you would change your life to do? Would you risk health and doctors\u2019 orders to tell strangers, maybe for their first times, the Story of Jesus? Is there anything in your life important enough that you would re-tell\u2026 8000 times?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTwo-way streets.\u201d As we tell God\u2019s Story \u2013 I should say His many Stories \u2013 He rejoices in us! And He will tell our stories, as we do here, to the host of Heaven. And He rejoices not only in what we say or share, but who we are, what we have become.<\/em> And isn\u2019t that humbling? You and I, as chapters and verses in the Story, “the greatest that ever was told.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n + + +<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This remarkable lady could not stop telling \u2013 and wanting to be told \u2013 the Story of Jesus. Now we tell her<\/em> story, an inspiration to us all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n