We all love a good story. Books, movies, song lyrics, they all allow us the opportunity to peer into the heart of the writer. To see through their eyes for a brief moment in time.
Stories can make us laugh and cry. They can generate anger within us and inspire us to something greater than ourselves. A great story gets into our soul, pulling at our heartstrings as we witness the weaving of a writer’s intricate ideas on the page.
Oh to be that writer, the one who can weave a beautiful story that makes you think and feel. That lends to opening your heart to a moment of elation as you recognize how it relates to the deepest part of you.
There is One who has perfected the weaving of a beautiful story. In His story, He has opened His heart to us and allowed us to peer through His eyes as He spoke creation into being. He gave us the opportunity to see His heart mourn as His creation turned away from Him. He opens our heart, the deepest part of us, to the greatest sacrifice ever made, the sacrifice which redeemed man back to Himself. And in this gift of redemption, our elation can be found.
The first and perfect writer, our Heavenly Father.
This isn't just any story, but the most beautiful of love stories. Introducing us to the obedience of a man by the name of Noah who built an ark. The heroic strength of a young boy named David who faced a giant. The fear of a young man named Gideon who became a mighty warrior as he defeated a great army. The perseverance of a man named Nehemiah who built a wall in 52 days. The courage of a young woman named Esther who saved her people from certain death. The heart of a young girl named Mary who delivered the Savior into the world. And in all of these stories, we see a theme, they are never alone, there is One who grants them the very things they need to face the challenges in their path.
The Bible is a beautiful story, full of love, tragedy and conflict; the best seller over the course of time. A story inspired from a Creator to His Creation, written to reveal Himself through the stories of these characters which we have been introduced, as we peer into history and glimpse into the future. A story having 40 known authors, it is the authoritative, written Word of God. Inspired by The Holy Spirit, this beautiful love story is all about the One, who entered the very world He created, to walk among us and bring us salvation. The One who inspired mere men and women to be strong, to have faith and to trust in Him.
This beautiful love story is all about Jesus, the main character.
To a mere human, this book brings many questions which become difficult to reconcile within our limited human understanding. So, our Father gave us a Helper, The Holy Spirit, who teaches us all things- John 14:26. Joined with our faith, the Spirit helps us to truly understand the depths of our Father’s love story to us. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 reveals, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived, the things God has prepared for those who love Him – these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit.”
God gave us His Spirit so we could understand what He has freely given us. 1 Corinthians 2:12
WHY? Why did God write this story? What does it mean for us, the reader?
I think that John 3:16 answers the question of why: “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The Creator loved His Creation so much that He gave us His Son, so we could know Him in this life and the next.
If Jesus is the main character in the story, His love makes for the plot which draws us to Him.
In most every love story, there is a plot which leads us to the resolution as our heart yearns for the ending, “…and they lived happily ever after.“ And the beauty of The Father’s love story to us is that we WILL live happily ever after, His Word reveals this to us in Revelation 21:3-4, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Ahhh the Resolution, our Happily Ever After!
While a narrative includes characters, a plot, conflict and resolution, there is closure- the whole story is revealed to us. And while the Father has given us the ending to His Great Love Story, there is a piece which is missing, still being written. A piece which is only known by The Writer Himself. Psalm 139:16 shares it like this, “…all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Now, I would like for you to imagine for just a moment, the most beautiful patchwork quilt you have ever seen. Visualize the quilt in 3 layers: the backing which serves as the foundation, the filler that connects the backing and the patchwork made up of varying colors of fabric sewn together into a beautiful pattern. In the love story that our Father has written, I recognize Jesus as the foundation, The Holy Spirit as the filler who connects us the patchwork, to Jesus. And the Father weaves each of our lives together intricately into the most amazing pattern ever created. Can you imagine what it will look like when complete?
Yes, my friend, this is what it means for us, you and I have been weaved into the plot of His beautiful love story.
And the beauty of your story, my story is that where it begins and/or where it has traveled does not disqualify us from taking part in His story. There is no audition, nor rewrite required. He only asks for our heart, after which point, His grace interweaves into our story to give it infinite beauty. God takes our mess and turns it into a message, He turns our ashes into beauty and our test becomes a testimony.
Our Father intricately weaves together His story with your story, my story and every other colorful story to create the greatest story ever told, all bringing glory to the Master Writer who weaves it all in the palm of His Hand.
Do you know Jesus? It all begins with Him my friend, His story is our story. Our story is His. Place your hand in His, my friend, pick up His Word given to you and hold on for the most beautiful love story ever written.
Lord, thank You for writing us into Your beautiful story. Thank You for revealing Jesus in Your Word, The Bible, created as a foundation on which we stand. Thank You for the Holy Spirit who connects us to You. Thank You for faith that serves as the thread which knits us close and grace the binding that holds us together. Thank You Father for weaving us all together into the greatest story ever told. I pray Lord that You will allow us to see the work of Your Hand. Allow us to seek and enjoy the stories of grace and love that you interweave with our own. And one day, allow us the honor of seeing the beauty of Your Love Story fulfilled in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Your Thankful Daughter,
AMEN