Story. Such a
small, yet powerful word. Stories have always been an important part
of my life. I recall Granddaddy, who lived with us as I was growing
up, tell me “jigs”, which were funny little stories told in poem
form that seemed to have no worthwhile meaning. Oh, but they did
have meaning: they built a bridge of laughter and love between
Granddaddy and me, as he came up with endless stories that never grew
dull. I can still hear him now, “Charlie Brown, went to town,
riding a horse, leading a hound. Hound it barked, horse it jumped.
Threw little Charlie Brown straddle of a stump.” Still makes me
smile. Then there was Grandmother who only knew two fairy tales.
One about “Little One Eye, Little Two Eye, and Little Three Eye”,
and the other about “Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail”. I must have
heard those stories told by her a million times; yet still, every
night I spent the night in their part of the house, I longed to hear
her tell them again.
There is something
about story that draws us in, piques our interest, and invites us to
places we have never been. God gave us incredible minds that can
imagine the tales we are told in such a way that brings the stories
alive in full technicolor. It's no wonder He gave us the Bible, a
book of stories, more fanciful, amazing and intriguing than any other
book around. It's a book about heroes and villains, kings and
kingdoms, war and peace, bounty and loss, love and family, joy and
sorrow, life and death. It's a book that invites us in and educates
us of our beginnings, our brokenness, our purposes, and our futures.
Unlike other stories, in a very real way, it breathes life into our
aching souls, gives power to defeat spiritual foes, and explains to
us who we are in this world.
Amazingly, it
also is a book that is still being written.
God's story
is not yet over.
No, God is not still
adding pages to Scripture, as that is complete; but He is
still writing the story of creation, fall, redemption and restoration
on the pages of history. And we are very real characters, with very
important purposes, in this incredible story.
For the longest
time I simply went through my days as if my life had no bearing on
anything at all. I am convinced now, though, that each and every one
of us has been given a life of great value, worth and meaning. I am
humbled by that. Lord, mold me and use me in ways so that I may
fully realize my purpose for being. Use me for Your glory. Show me
where to go, what to do, who to become, who to reach out to. Speak
to me on the pages of my own story-board, so that I might follow Your
will for my life, rather than my own self-centered desires. Show me,
Lord, who You have created me to be all along. Illuminate to me
parts of my life that have always shown patterns, gifts, longings and
dreams which have served to point me in the direction You would have
me go. Make me more aware of who I am in You, and who You are in
me, as we travel down this path of life together. I am not alone in
this, am I? Thank you, Lord, for always being there, leading me,
guiding me, loving me. Even when I was at my worst, You never booted
me from your story.
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