Just a Story
Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation. Joel 1:3 (ESV)
All stories have a take-away or life-lesson. True or False.
Me: Jesus, why don’t people believe in You? They have heard others share and read Your Word but they still think that the stories in the Bible are just that…stories.
JESUS: It is difficult for some to experience My kind of love. They continue to connect faulty dots that create a picture of performance and worthiness. They deny My mercy and grace and ignore My hand that reaches out to offer them peace.
ME: That makes You sad, doesn’t it? There are hundreds of stories in the Bible, and to me, all of them can teach us something.
JESUS: Only if you are open to learning. My dear child, it deeply saddens Me. If one cannot embrace My Holy Word then…
ME: …But how do they go through the tough times? Where is the hope?
JESUS: That is a deep personal problem and yes, they raise their angry fists to heaven. The difference? You had a family that knew Me and loved Me. You were taught these wonderful life-changing stories from a very young age. You even shared them with your students. Remember?
ME: Of course. We enjoyed acting them out too!
JESUS: Without the written Word as a guideline, it becomes impossible for the world to know right from wrong. So many of my children have become blinded today.
ME: Your Word seems so real for me, and I want it to be more than a story.
JESUS: My accounts of those such as Moses, David, Rahab, and others, are true. They had a vital role in history. One cannot just look at them as fictional characters.
ME: The Old Testament points to You and New Testament tells us even more about You. Why is that so hard to believe?
JESUS: They see Me as a good teacher, but they do not accept Me as Savior. In fact, they do not even recognize the fact that I came to die for them. That is just too much to grasp. It sounds great but there is no personal connection.
ME: When I open Your Word, I want it to come alive so I can speak boldly to others!
JESUS: And it will. I promise to give you those opportunities so stay alert!