Dear Disciple,
“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being… So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” Genesis 2:7,21-22
Your story is a small but very important part of the great Story – the story that has only been partly told and that has God Himself as the central character. Knowing the story as revealed in the Scriptures is a crucial part of your growth as a disciple of Jesus and, consequently, as a human being.
What you learn about yourself is not the most important benefit of learning the Story, but it is a necessary one. For instance, in the passage quoted above, we do not just learn about our first parents; we learn about the Creator, and we learn about ourselves. Reading the whole creation account, you can’t miss the personal and purposeful connection between the Almighty and humanity – and that includes you. As estranged and alienated as we became because of our sinful and rebellious ways, that loving connection has remained intact. God’s love has been constant despite our failures and foolishness. Truly, that is a primary theme of the whole Story from start to finish!
Read, listen to, and connect to the Story, Disciple, and I have no doubt that you’ll see yourself in the people who populate it. More importantly, you’ll see the God who dealt justly and wisely with them all. You’ll see Him shepherding and defending His beloved even when they wandered away in infidelity and willful blindness. You’ll see fools made wise and the wicked made righteous. You’ll see the unlikeliest of characters used powerfully by the God who looks at the heart rather than the outer appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). You’ll see godly people crying out in anguish and despair but holding on to what sliver of faith they could – and finding out that God honored even that sliver. You’ll see hopeless situations that became the stages upon which God showed Himself to be the great Savior and worker of wonders.
Your life is unique and no one is exactly like you, Disciple, yet your experiences, feelings, and motivations are common to mankind. The Story proves that. It’s a humbling thing to know that you are one of so many billions, isn’t it? It’s also exhilarating to know that, among the billions, you are known and loved and cherished. Your life matters to Someone who matters more than anyone. [So does the life of your spouse, your friend, your boss, your enemy, your food server.]
Learn the story, Disciple. Understand it. As you do, pause and let worship happen. Let the holiness, the power, the wisdom, the patience, the persistence, the sternness, and the compassion of God move you to adore, fear, admire, thank, and love Him. You’re a part of this Story, and it will never end. We’re only at its beginning, and it only gets better from here.
Learning and living His great Story with you,
Ryan