The World's Biggest Library
Ever think about your life as a book? I have lately. The months leading up to our birth are the Forward. This is written by our mother as she imagines who we might be and all the things our life might bring both good and bad. Along with our father they prepare their home for the story that is about to unfold. If there are older siblings they are prepared for how to hold a newborn. We don't write the forward, but it is all about the anticipation of who we will become!
We each begin the same way, with a long awaited happy arrival. However, each story develops differently. Some are slow and steady with few surprises along the way. Some start out with a bang and then level off. Then there are those that build and build, leaving everyone wondering just how this story will every turn out good. Some of us are tragedies, while others of us are success stories, and still others grand love stories.
As I was thinking about this on my walk today I realized that just like the word of God, we are living stories. Each story is alive and changes organically as it unfolds. We are co-authors with God. We get to write our own story and for those of us who know God personally, He puts in a few wonderful chapters exactly where they need to go. Even those who don't know God yet, but are destined to know Him, they get a few of those chapters as well. Then there are those who will never know God. Those are the true tragedies.
Everyone one of us is a great read. Our stories are actually very similar to the Bible. You can see Jesus in every book of the Bible. In Genesis you can see the promise of Him to Adam, Eve and the serpent. He is in the promises to Abram, Isaac, and Jacob as well. The Jewish feast days celebrate him, especially Passover. The Law was written so that only He could keep it. The prophets told of ALL he would do. David's Psalms worship him. He even shows up on a couple of occasions, like in the fire with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abdenego. You can also see Jesus in every Christian's life, though in some He is a hidden message. We are a collection of stories that all fit together to tell one really Amazing story of Jesus.
God knew the plan and developed the story through his chosen people. He knew the entire would would one day benefit from the sacrifice of his only son. If he knew all of that, he knows what each of our stories will be when complete. Some will not have great stories. Some will have good stories, and some will have incredible stories. There are books in the Bible that I love more than others. Read individually they are pretty cool, but the amazing thing about the story of God's love is that you can see how it all links together. The same is true with us. Family, extended family, friends, enemies, and those we have never met but who have shared this time on earth, are all relevant to who we are.
Imagine Jesus putting a pen in your hand and showing you how to write. Just like a parent would show a child. Then once we get the hang of things he lets go. Now Imagine Jesus asking for the control of the pen. Can you see yourself surrendering the pen to him and trusting him to write the story? This is where it gets good. You see, we can write our own story, and it fits into place because God has known all along how it will fit. But that surrender of the pen to God and your willingness to let go of the story, is where magic happens.
There is a song I love by Francesca Batistelli. It is called Write Your Story. Read the chorus below.
I'm an empty page
I'm an open book
Write your story on my heart
Come on and make your mark
Author of my hope
Maker of the stars
Let me be your work of art
Won't you write your story on my heart
The whole song is fabulous and fun to sing. Check out the song on the praise page when you are done reading.
When we surrender the story of our life to the author of creation He can make the story come to life in ways we never imagined. Look at Mike Lindel, the my pillow guy. What a story he has! Have you read his story? You can see the difference between when Mike was authoring his story and when he gave the pen to God. The things God has done in his life are AMAZING. The people Mike has helped and continues to help are too numerous to count. Is that the kind of story you want?
I am finally figuring this out. I've written a pretty chaotic story for the last 58 years. I'm looking forward to reading the end of my earthly story. It may just be a short sweet and simple ending. However, if it isn't, look out world God's got a knack for writing some pretty jaw-dropping endings! The pen of God is mightier indeed!
Psalm 139:16 "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
Romans 9:13 "Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Romans 9:17 "For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Romans 9:21 "Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?"
2 Corinthians 3:3 "You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."
Revelation 22:7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
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