Scripture: Matthew 13:10-17
Journal: What is your story with God these days? How has God used story in your
life recently to capture your heart in a new and fresh way? How might you tell that story in a way that allows
others to take part in it?
Reflection:
He replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how
it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to
them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and
understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of
receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to
nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can
stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and
not get it. I don’t want Isaiah’s forecast repeated all over again . . . (The
Message)
The power of story is
an amazing thing. Jesus knew this all
too well, that’s why he spoke in parables.
He knew that stories have a way of opening us up to truth that we cannot
see, hear, or understand otherwise. They
have the ability to slip past our defenses and penetrate our hearts; even when
our hearts are calloused, or our ears are weak, or our eyes are dull. Stories create new ways of seeing and
being. That’s why songs and books and
art and poetry have the ability to speak to us in ways that other things do
not. They put us in touch with the larger,
or deeper, story that is going on within and around us. They help us stay in touch with our own story
with God, and the story of what God is doing in our lives and in our world.
Prayer
Closing
Prayer: Write your blessed name, O Lord, upon my
heart, there to remain, so indelibly engraved that no prosperity, no adversity,
shall ever move me from your love. ~Thomas a Kempis
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