THIS IS MY STORY!

John 9:1-30 GNT

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. [2] His disciples asked him, "Teacher, whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parents' sin?" [3] Jesus answered, "His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents' sins. He is blind so that God's power might be seen at work in him. [4] As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me; night is coming when no one can work. [5] While I am in the world, I am the light for the world." [6] After he said this, Jesus spat on the ground and made some mud with the spittle; he rubbed the mud on the man's eyes [7] and told him, "Go and wash your face in the Pool of Siloam." (This name means "Sent.") So the man went, washed his face, and came back seeing. [8] His neighbors, then, and the people who had seen him begging before this, asked, "Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?" [9] Some said, "He is the one," but others said, "No he isn't; he just looks like him." So the man himself said, "I am the man." [10] "How is it that you can now see?" they asked him. [11] He answered, "The man called Jesus made some mud, rubbed it on my eyes, and told me to go to Siloam and wash my face. So I went, and as soon as I washed, I could see." [12] "Where is he?" they asked. "I don't know," he answered. [13] Then they took to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. [14] The day that Jesus made the mud and cured him of his blindness was a Sabbath. [15] The Pharisees, then, asked the man again how he had received his sight. He told them, "He put some mud on my eyes; I washed my face, and now I can see." [16] Some of the Pharisees said, "The man who did this cannot be from God, for he does not obey the Sabbath law." Others, however, said, "How could a man who is a sinner perform such miracles as these?" And there was a division among them. [17] So the Pharisees asked the man once more, "You say he cured you of your blindness-well, what do you say about him?" "He is a prophet," the man answered. [18] The Jewish authorities, however, were not willing to believe that he had been blind and could now see, until they called his parents [19] and asked them, "Is this your son? You say that he was born blind; how is it, then, that he can now see?" [20] His parents answered, "We know that he is our son, and we know that he was born blind. [21] But we do not know how it is that he is now able to see, nor do we know who cured him of his blindness. Ask him; he is old enough, and he can answer for himself!" [22] His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, who had already agreed that anyone who said he believed that Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. [23] That is why his parents said, "He is old enough; ask him!" [24] A second time they called back the man who had been born blind, and said to him, "Promise before God that you will tell the truth! We know that this man who cured you is a sinner." [25] "I do not know if he is a sinner or not," the man replied. "One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see." [26] "What did he do to you?" they asked. "How did he cure you of your blindness?" [27] "I have already told you," he answered, "and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Maybe you, too, would like to be his disciples?" [28] They insulted him and said, "You are that fellow's disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. [29] We know that God spoke to Moses; as for that fellow, however, we do not even know where he comes from!" [30] The man answered, "What a strange thing that is! You do not know where he comes from, but he cured me of my blindness!

 

What’s your story? Everybody has a story. What’s yours? Wherever you’ve been, where you’re coming from, or where you’re going, whatever you’ve experienced, there is a story there to encourage, support, motivate, and lift somebody to expect and believe for their own story.

As children, we sat listening to stories told to us with such embellishment that made our eyes like saucers and our mouths open in utter amazement, even though those stories were fabricated for our entertainment. But the best stories are those that arouse connection, conviction, and compassion in us as we listen. They teach and inspire us. They serve as cautionary tales or models of faith for us to emulate.

What is your story? Do you have one that would inspire, motivate, encourage, or caution someone? We all have a story!

The stories of the Bible are worth telling and retelling. These stories teach us life lessons, so we can find hope to step out in faith in the here and now, while trusting the trustworthy God. Our lives are unfolding as stories worth telling—stories that highlight our stumbling and sin, our achievements and failures, our victories and fears, but above all, our need and reception of the Savior to find forgiveness and strength.

We all have a story. You have a story. What is your story?

One song that should fill our mouths constantly is: “This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all day long. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all day long.”

The Bible is overflowing with God’s goodness to humanity and occasions when He put a story in their mouths. Jesus, the author according to Hebrews 12:2, has written a story about you. What’s that story? Jesus didn’t write an autobiography of you, nor a personal story. Your story is a biography of wisdom and grace written by God based on His plans for you, according to Jeremiah 29:11.

Every page He writes into your story is right. He knows where every punctuation is placed. Every twist of the plot is for your best, according to Romans 8:28. Every new character is approved and ordained by God to be part of your story, to supply resources as He did for Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26:1-15. Some characters are manpower for your story, like in Nehemiah 3.

Each new chapter in your story advances God’s purpose for your life and His kingdom, as stated in Acts 26:16. We can look back at God’s track record in our lives to have confidence in Him today and daily. When we tell and retell our stories—stories that come from us reading and rereading the Scriptures, listening to sermons that expand on the texts, and sharing the stories with our children and grandchildren according to Deuteronomy 6:7—we keep in front of us reminder after reminder of God’s power and favour. When we face struggles, we can look back and see, remembering our past victories and stories, and be assured that God can be trusted again to give us another story.

Like the blind man, our personal stories are powerful tools for kingdom matters. In John 9:17 and 25, we see the power of testimony at work. A blind beggar’s experience is all he had, and it was enough then and still enough now. One thing I know, he said. What do you know that fuels your story? This is my story—God is for me! What’s your story?

PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for I have a story that came from your, may my confession always reflect your truth and glory in Jesus’ name, amen.

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/womenoflight/episodes/THIS-IS-MY-STORY-e31c21e

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