In one of the Bible study groups I’m part of, we ask each person to pick a date on our schedule to share their story. They have fifteen minutes to share where they have been, what God has done for them and what God is doing in their life currently. Each time someone shares, the rest of us take notes on things that stood out to us and encouraged us. We then share with that person and the group what encouraged us and built our faith in their story. We pretty much run out of time each time we do this because each person has a different takeaway from the other person’s story. It’s a great exercise in trust and faith building when we share with others what God has done in our life.
In Joshua 2, the Israelites were about to cross the Jordan I and enter the Promised Land to conquer it. They sent two spies to scout out Jericho before they started their campaign. A prostitute named Rahab brought the two spies into her home and covered for them when the authorities came looking for the spies. That night she told them, “I know the Lord has given you this land. We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt” (NLT). The stories of what God had done had brought fear to their enemies, but built faith in Rahab. She asked for protection and it was granted to her. She began trusting in God from hearing stories of what God had done for Israel that she didn’t get to experience.
In Psalm 40:2-3, David wrote, “He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” When is the last time you shared your story of how God lifted you out of the miry clay and set your feet upon the rock? I want to encourage you to write it down, practice telling it and then find a couple of people to share it with. Your story will have a powerful effect on other people’s lives, even if you were raised in church and never left. There’s something powerful even when you share of God’s faithfulness across generations. Don’t be afraid to share your story. We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
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Devotions by Chris Hendrix 