Do you tell others the story?

A Poem: I Love To Tell The Story.

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know 'tis true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story, more wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.

I love to tell the story, 'tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The message of salvation from God's own Holy Word.

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

by Arabella Catherine Hankey (1834-1911)

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Do you tell others the story?

“Arabella Catherine Hankey became extremely sick, she was confined to a year of bed rest. During this long, lonely period, she wrote two substantial poems. The first poem was "Tell Me the Old, Old Story." The second poem, printed in part here, was "I Love to Tell the Story." Both poems were later turned into hymns.

In this poem, Hankey overflows with exuberant joy and delight in one special privilege: She can proclaim the story of God's salvation! This is good news for all who will hear and accept it. It is also good news for those who have never heard it and for those who need to hear it again and again. It is food for those who hunger and thirst for God.

The gospel is spiritual food for those who preach it as well. Recall the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4. The disciples had gone into town looking for food. Jesus stayed by the well, where he encountered the woman. There he preached the gospel to her, and she drank in this living water. Although Jesus was physically hungry, as he preached he was nourished. The disciples wondered who had fed Jesus when he refused to eat the food they brought him. But Jesus explained to them that he was "fed" by doing the will of his Father. As Christ's example shows us, nothing is more satisfying than proclaiming the Good News.” [Copied from Philip Comfort & Daniel Partner, ‘A Poem a Day’]

Something to do: Tell others the story.

I encourage all St. David’s folk to think through and write down your own testimony (your personal story of Jesus Christ in your life, and what it means to you and why it’s important). Then prayerfully share your story with those you love so they can hear the Good News. God Bless, Jon.

To Ponder and Pray: Messengers of Light

Loving God
As in Christ, you came into the world
to bring light and peace,
kissing the earth with love, with hope , with life,
so we, loving God, would be messengers of light:
light where the world is dark,
and joy where the world is sad.
In Christ’s name. Amen