this is my story...

Everyone has a story.  Most of them are stories of experiments and situations that have led to a pretty good life, yet all of us have some tough places and sad parts of our stories.  Life isn’t easy.

I ran into some people at a local story recently who wanted to tell their story.  One couple talked about a problem with their neighbor that was difficult to understand.  Relationships are tough.  Another lady shared that her mom, who I had met a few times, passed away last fall and how tough that has been on her.

Both are happenings that I have seen before, and both stories were difficult for these folks.  Our stories too have pieces that need the hope that can come in to our story and change our lives.  That hope is the person and truth of Jesus!

This past Sunday we began a new series at The Community.  It is called HIS STORY, YOUR STORY.  At the first of the sermon I shared this hymn:

BLESSED ASSURANCE

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

Chorus:

This is my story, this is my song,

praising my Savior all the day long;

this is my story, this is my song,

praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,

visions of rapture now burst on my sight;

angels descending bring from above

echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

(Chorus)

Perfect submission, all is at rest;

I in my Savior am happy and blest,

watching and waiting, looking above,

filled with his goodness, lost in his love.

(Chorus)

This is MY story.  Jesus came in to my story, and literally His story has become my story.  No, your story and mine are not exact.  Also Jesus’ and my story are not all the same, but the stories, his and mine and even yours, have found a place to intersect and to change us all.

His story is one of hope and strength and faith lived out.  That is where my story became a story of faith.  That is where Jesus came to be my Savior and part of my every day life.

Let’s live in such a way that His story is our story.  May this story change us continually and those we are around!

1 John 4:17  NIV

This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.