One of my favorite writers today is Mitch Albom. In his book, For One More Day, He said, "There's a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begin." I don't know why that line strikes me so hard, but it does. Our life is a story. But it's the continuation of another story. And one day another story will branch out from our story.
What do you like to see or hear in a story? Some of the best tales ever invite the reader to get involved in the details. They give us clues about what’s on the horizon. The best books and movies can do this without giving too much away. They offer hints that make us wonder, speculate, contemplate. Our favorite stories keep us on the edges of our seats and cause us to spend late nights turning pages and following their twists and carefully crafted turns.
This summarizes most of the Bible. Twists, turns, big reveals and a happy ending. We like that kind of story. Right? So it’s no surprise that the story of Joseph is a favorite for many. It reads like a novel and never lacks for tension to keep the reader engaged. But perhaps its greatest appeal is in the clues to what might happen beyond the story of Joseph’s life, past the centuries, farther ahead in the still dim pages of history. C. S. Lewis pointed out that shadows give us “hints of reality.” And like a shadow that offers a flickering glimpse of the real thing, the story of Joseph invites us to envision the coming Savior.
In short, the story of Joseph goes like this… He was the favored son of his father. His father sent him to his brothers, who rejected him. He was taken to Egypt to avoid being killed. He was sold for the price of a slave and then was falsely accused. He was condemned between two prisoners. His suffering eventually led him to a place of prominence and honor, and his brothers bowed their knees to him at last. In the end, he had suffered much but knew he had endured it all in order to save the lives of those he loved... Wait! Does that sound familiar? Yes!!! Think about the parallels between Joseph and Jesus.
Every story in the Bible is connected. They connect to Jesus. And they connect to you! How will your story end?
You are loved!
Dr. Ray Reynolds
#ReynoldsRap #WixBlog #authentic #Christian #positive #practical #community #God #Jesus #Facebook #Twitter #Instagram #YouTube #Reddit #TikTok #WWJD #GTKYB #Christianity #faithful #ReclaimingHope #RayReynolds #MistyReynolds #gospel #love #Joseph
We invite you to LISTEN to the Ray Reynolds Rap podcast. Check out our WEBSITE where you can download Bible study guides. Or sign up for a FREE Bible Course. Keep studying, stay faithful and maintain an authentic Christian life.