Our Daily Bread Designs Bible Verse Thursday Challenge #41 - Storytelling

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."  ~John 1:29

There is one incident that happened to me several years ago that has stayed with me.  When I think about it, it seems odd that such a small thing would but the imagery is as clear today as it was when it happened.

My car had broken down on my way home from a trip to see my mother.  I was on a country road with almost no traffic and I was alone.  I called for service to come tow the car, but it was going to take them 2 hours to get to me.  I had a long lonely wait in front of me!  I had never been stranded somewhere quite so remote before and being alone, it was a little frightening.  To keep myself calm, I got out my rosary and started to pray.

While I was praying, 3 unusual looking birds wandered up on the shoulder across the road.  I can see them clearly still in my mind’s eye, but I have never been able to identify what kind of bird they were.  They were white with some gray on their wings and back and a red stripe around their necks – about the size of a duck or a small goose.  They just watched me from across the road as I observed them, they kind of kept me company while I waited and prayed.  

The tow truck finally arrived and when I turned to say goodbye to my new little friends they were gone.  

When I got home, I called my Mother and relayed the story about the birds to her and she said “God must have sent them to keep you company so you wouldn’t be lonely or afraid.”  I realized the truth in her statement – even giving that the birds were just there by chance (which I have a hard time believing), they did keep me from feeling lonely and afraid.

If you aren't a bird watcher, there is bound to be something else you just have to tell someone about. How many times have you heard a group of people who have all seen the same play in the same ball game tell each other exactly what they saw? They might do it immediately right in the stands or during the commercial or the next day at work. It's not just sharing information or confirming that the other person saw what you saw. That's not why people re-tell plays in a great game or describe a wonderful sight. Telling is experiencing. Telling is having the experience again and giving it to someone else. Telling is shining a light that shows a particular way and then walking along that way together.

The Gospel of John, is all about people telling each other they have seen Jesus and who they think Jesus is. It begins with John telling about Jesus' baptism. As the story opens, John is talking about himself. The details are very precise. Twice he says, "I did not know him." As soon as he recognizes Jesus, John goes from "I did not know him" to making public announcements that "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." Here is the one I was sent to proclaim: "the Son of God."

Then almost the very same thing happens again. The day after the baptism, John tells two of his disciples that Jesus is "the Lamb of God," and what did they do? They run off after Jesus. They want to see for themselves. They catch up and have an odd conversation with Jesus, and then Andrew runs off and finds his brother Peter and brings him to meet Jesus too. When Jesus meets Peter, Jesus gives him a new name, "Rock." Peter will do so much telling that he'll be a foundation on which the church will be built. 

So what are you talking about these days?  What is it that you just can’t wait to tell someone about?  Behold, the Lamb of God…

Your challenge this week is to create a project using this scripture or another verse that tells us something about Jesus.  When uploading your project, please use keyword ODBDBVT41 and then hop over to Our Daily Bread Designs Forum to share your creation with us!

Supplies for this project

Cardstock:  Truly Yours – White Card Base; Bazzill – Leaf, Black 

Designer Paper:  Basic Grey – Out of Print

Stamps:  Our Daily Bread Designs – Lord Is My Shepherd

Inks, Stains and Paints:  Versafine – Onyx Black; Ranger Distress Ink –  Glass, Peeled Paint

Colored Pencils:  Prismacolor – Putty, Chocolate, Cool Grey, Chartreuse, Grass Green, Sienna Brown, Silver; Faber Castell Polychromos – May Green, Medium Flesh

Accessories & Other Stuff:  American Crafts Twine; The Beadery - Cross

Many Blessings!