With many stories like these, He presented his message to them, fitting the stories to their experience and maturity. He was never without a story when he spoke. When He was alone with His disciples, He went over everything, sorting out the tangles, untying the knots. Mark 4:33-34 The Message
What’s your story? Do you have stories to tell others? Who is the main focus in your stories? Why do you think Jesus used story so much in His teaching? These kinds of questions should make you go “Hmmmm…”. We all should be story tellers. What is a testimony? How do we overcome? Do you ever ponder the stories Jesus told? Have you ever asked the Holy Spirit to explain those stories Jesus told with your own life experiences? Are we really the ones seeking His kingdom or are we the ones who are the individuals Jesus is pointing out not to be like? So much depends on who’s life we are living.
Are you really ‘buried’ with Christ?
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. Romans 6:3-5
Is this your story? How is your story playing out this scenario on a day-to-day basis? Is the Holy Spirit leading you to greater and greater depths of spiritual intimacy with God? Is He teaching you a life of surrender to God? Do you have stories that you could share with others on how He is asking you to give up certain things that hinder your life with Him?
Do you have personal stories of Jesus’ miracles that have either taken place in your own life or others that are in your inner circle of friends? Do you know of His grace, mercy, and love and tell stories of each of those characteristics in your own life? Have you written any down?
As children we LOVE stories. Have you ever wondered why? Have you ever pondered why God loves ‘story’ so much?
When is the last time you read a REALLY good story? How did it impact you? Does the Holy Spirit use stories to explain certain things to you? Stories now-a-days are in many different formats. Some are written, some are told, and some are seen. Do you have a favorite way of experiencing stories?
Can you be a story teller? What stories do you usually tell others?