The story God is writing is
Breathtaking. Humbling. Mind Blowing. When I am zoomed in on what
is right before me, it's hard to tell what is actually going on. But
with eyes of faith I read the story in God's word and I am able to
step back and see the greater story God is writing. It's a story
that showcases the goodness and heart of the Author. It's about the
glory of his grace. It's so much bigger than what he's doing in
our little lives, or even our little slice of history. His story is
happening on a grand scale, a cosmic scale. You see, God is writing
the story of all stories and he is letting us read, no, live in
the only story every written. Does it take your breath away to be
part of this story?
The Author has always been. Yet he
spoke this story into being and for now, the stage is this earth. He
created this stage, full of beauty and warmth, a place where his
people lived in innocence and peace, and in perfect relationship with
their Author.
The stage quickly darkens as sin
enters. The people don't trust the good Author. They hate the Author want to write their own stories. Now Innocence is
gone. Perfect relationship with the Author is impossible. Their
hearts are broken and the stage itself is broken. Though the Author loves the people, Sin and Death will
play leading roles on the stage. As nations are formed and people multiply, sin
and brokenness find their way into every individual story, every
family's story, every nations story. Every heart hates the Author
and the people have no power to free themselves from the sin and
death that they invited onto the stage.
This darkening of the stage was written
into the story before it began, because it sets the stage for Mercy
and Grace. It sets the stage for the Author to showcase his heart of grace. Before the story began, the Author planned the rescue.
As sin and darkness take front stage, the promises of a rescuer give
foretastes of how he will rewrite the story he's allowed them to
create. The two thousand years of stories he writes in Israel's
history of sin and rebellion set the stage for MERCY and GRACE to
take the leading role. Can you imagine the darkness of those times as
they waited?
No one would've ever guessed that the
HERO would be the Author's son. But, remember, the story was meant
to showcase his heart, his grace and the Author-man would do just
that. In his life, he battles Brokenness and Sin and Death in a
cosmic battle that ends on a cross. The Author-man of the story
gives up his life on the stage he created to give the decisive blow
to his enemies and rescue the people who have turned on him. This is
the saddest and happiest moment in the story. The stage literally shakes at his death. This moment
is the climax of the story, the apex of seeing the glory of the grace
of the heart of the Author, for this moment undoes SIN and DEATH and BROKENNESS for all who will trust the HERO. Everything that has ever happened on
the stage has been pointing to this moment. In victory over death,
the Hero rises from the dead, showing that DEATH will not rule the
stage anymore.
The chapter turns and he sends his
followers out tell the grand story. He gives him his power to play
their part of the stage and tell the story. To tell the people on
the stage that sin and death and brokenness have been overcome by the
Hero. That the grace of the HERO saves them from the WRATH they
deserve. The Author doesn't want to wipe them off the stage, no he
wants to bring them onto the next stage. YES the next!! .
You see, the story won't be played out
on this stage forever. No, there's a new stage coming. The next
chapter will open with the Hero's return. He will be King and death
and sin will take the final blow and be no more. The old stage will
be tossed away, and a new stage, yes a new earth will appear, and a
city that cannot be shaken. What began in a garden on the old
earth, was just a foreshadowing on what will re-begin in a city, on the new earth. This new stage will be like the garden, but so much
better. Innocence and warmth, peace, and security will return.
Like this new earth, we too will be made new, made like the hero.
The people of the city will know the heart of the Author in a way the
people of the garden couldn't . They will then see clearly the glory
of the Author's grace in the face of the HERO and the memory of his
death for them. The people on that stage will sing with full hearts
of love and worship for being written into this grand story before it
ever began. And because the Author is so good and generous and
loves his HERO and people so much, that stage will never pass away.
As I zoom back in to my little life
with these eyes of faith, I know where we are in the story. I know
that the Author his showing divine patience towards this stage. Yes,
he's gathering a people for the next chapter, a people who will
trust in his HERO. As I see my life in view of the greater story
being written, my heart gets in step with what the Author is doing.
I want the small story of my life to tell the grand story of the
heart of the Author. I want my life to showcase his MERCY and GRACE
as I love the HERO and his cross and help others to do the same.
Though my life on this stage will be brief, the grand story which I
have been written into will never end.
When you read the story you've been written into, does it take
your breath away? Do you see the kind and gracious heart of the
Author as you read it? Like me, do you struggle at times to see the
greater story, getting bogged down in the dailyness of life? What
things help you remember the greater story and seek grace to tell the
grand story in the smaller story of your life?
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