Finding Our Story

Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony,

“He told me everything I have ever done.” John 4:39

Dear Friends,

On Sunday in my reflection on the story of the Healing of the Crippled Woman, I purported to be telling my life’s story. Some of you remarked to me, “You were telling my story.” Of course, we all have our particular story and you are the only one that knows all the things that you have gone through. On the other hand, there are commonalities to all of our stories. We all have experiences of joy, sadness, loss, hope, failure, success, pain, loneliness, belonging, love, fear, competence, incompetence, and the list goes on… These are the elements of a human life.

When we are in the midst of some of the harder, more painful experiences, they can be all consuming and we can feel like we will never emerge from them. Without a hopeful future, the experience we are having is accompanied by feelings of hopeless, resignation and even despair. This is what hell-on-earth feels like. During these times, the Bible and the biblical stories are a great resource.

Why? What’s so special about the Bible?

We believe that it is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

We believe that it contains God’s Word.

It gives us assurance of the Gospel.

It provides teachings and wisdom.

But for today’s conversation, it is the story of God’s journey with us humans.

As such, the Bible is a book of stories of how God walked with humans through whatever they were dealing with. The reason this is so important is because the stories of these human experiences do not end in hopelessness, resignation and despair. They continue the story of how God rescued, delivered, healed, freed, or guided the people. They don’t end “in the valley.”

Of course, the story we most focus on is the story of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection. Just like the story does not end with Jesus on the cross or in the tomb, so also—when we find the story in the Bible that maps onto our current experience—we have the assurance that our story doesn’t end in the suffering and hopelessness.

As the ups and downs of life wash over you, may you find your hope and anchor in God’s story… in God’s love.

Peace,

Pastor Phil