What's your Story? . . . What's your Word?
/What’s your story? … What’s your word? All of us have a story of how God has worked in our lives. Christianity isn’t a set of principles that we assent to, but the story of how the personal God interacts with people – with us! The Bible is really the extended story of God acting to save told through the stories of countless folks. Abraham hears God call him to pull up stakes and follow. He does and so begins a journey of discovery of God and establishment. Joseph gets himself in deep trouble and God delivers him so that he can become a deliverer. Generation after generation the stories go on of God revealing himself, showing steadfast love, and recuing people right up to the story of Jesus – and beyond to you and me today. People aren’t interested in lists of rules and most don’t care for religious dogma, but they are almost universally attentive to stories. And really this is what people need to know about God, that he wants to enter into their story! This is why the Southeast Michigan outreach to give Everyone A Chance to Hear (EACH) is using the ‘2 Word Story’ as the central thrust. Over 400 churches in the region are mobilizing their folks to share their stories with people around them and ask folks, ‘What’s your story?’ The hope is that we will be able to engage in a dialog with people where they can reflect on their lives and maybe start considering how God has already been at work or what his story could mean for them. So, what is your story? Has it been a while since you reflected on what God has done for you? Take some time and prayerfully recollect – and do plenty of thanksgiving along the way! Pray about how you could distill your story to a couple of minutes so that you could actually get it out in a normal conversation. If people want to hear more, they can always ask! Ask the Lord to show you a key issue he addressed as he broke into your story. This is what we will be turning into our ‘2 word story’.
For Abraham it might be -- Called? Called. For Joseph it might be -- ‘Accepted? Accepted. For me it is -- Purpose? Purpose. What about you? What is your story? What is your word?
-- Phil Tiews