Share Your Faith

When was the last time you shared your faith with someone? I don't mean converting someone by pounding them over the head with your beliefs. No, I mean, when was the last time you shared a story of a way God touched you? Like, when you thought of a friend you hadn't thought of for a while, and then they called you on the phone? Or when you bought groceries for someone in line that didn't have enough, and then a check showed up in the mail for the same amount from a rebate you'd forgotten you had sent for? Or when you couldn't sleep all night because of a stressful situation, and then in the deep, dark, stillness you heard God's voice telling you, "You're going to be ok."

Many of us have become so fearful of beating someone down with our faith, or of being thought of as "that Christian," that we have stopped sharing our God moments with all but our closest Christian friends. But what if we started sharing our stories with others? With co-workers or the people who check us out at the grocery story? What if we started listening to the faith stories of others -- even non-Christians? How we might be transformed by the sharing of our stories!

Narrative Lectionary Text: Psalm 40

I waited patiently for the Lord;
   he inclined to me and heard my cry. 
He drew me up from the desolate pit,
   out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
   making my steps secure. 
He put a new song in my mouth,
   a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
   and put their trust in the Lord. 

Happy are those who make
   the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
   to those who go astray after false gods. 
You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
   your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us;
   none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
   they would be more than can be counted. 

Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
   but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt-offering and sin-offering
   you have not required. 
Then I said, ‘Here I am;
   in the scroll of the book it is written of me. 
I delight to do your will, O my God;
   your law is within my heart.’ 

I have told the glad news of deliverance
   in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips,
   as you know, O Lord. 
I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,
   I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
   from the great congregation. 

Do not, O Lord, withhold
   your mercy from me;
let your steadfast love and your faithfulness
   keep me safe for ever. 
For evils have encompassed me
   without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
   until I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head,
   and my heart fails me. 

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
   O Lord, make haste to help me. 
Let all those be put to shame and confusion
   who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonour
   who desire my hurt. 
Let those be appalled because of their shame
   who say to me, ‘Aha, Aha!’ 

But may all who seek you
   rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
   say continually, ‘Great is the Lord!’ 
As for me, I am poor and needy,
   but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
   do not delay, O my God.