“I am the God . . of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Exodus 3:6 Today’s English Version
“History really is His story.”
My thoughts today are about “a story to tell.”
History is a great story with an extended but clear time line and a mixed but wonderful cast of characters, of which you are one. It is a story of magnificent beginnings, dark intrigue, great failure and greater redemption, many struggles, classic victories, and an incomparable ending. God can be found in every scene – directing, protecting, correcting. History really is His story.
That narrative began long ago and it is not complete until your part of the story is told and the final chapter is written. “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11 NAS. In some way, your story is interwoven with every other one’s, building upon theirs and laying foundation for all who will follow yours.
Everyday life can easily mislead you to assume that your story is your story alone. Nothing could be further from the truth. You can become so busy each day writing your own story that you are unaware of your role in the greater history, and contribute nothing to the grander destiny.
Moses appears in God’s story at a critical time in the history of Israel, and an even more critical moment in Moses’ own life. Read Exodus 1-3. Moses might have thought his life was over, things having gone from great privilege to unimaginable isolation – alone in a wilderness, busy with a menial task. Then God appeared. God was always there; Moses just didn’t know it. Your place in the story only begins when you include God. Until that, it is an extraneous detail.
I find God’s introduction of Himself to be very telling, “Moses . . I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” and I am your God as well! This story continues in every generation. Central to everything previous and everything beyond that place and moment, God is the story. God showed Moses where he could be included in the history of redemption being written, inviting Moses to find his place in the story.
The Bible describes those “of whom the world was not worthy . . commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders . . let us run with perseverance . . let us keep our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.” Hebrews 11:38-12:2 NIV. The Savior wants to author your story; those before you and many around you are counting on your living the story faithfully and telling it freely.
Like Moses, your life is a story but it is not about you – your struggles or successes – that would be too disinteresting and inconsequential. Your story to tell is about God and His grace and love to you, and for all others. Paul explained it this way, “You are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ . . written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NIV.
Imagine that; God wants to use your life as a letter to tell His story. Want to know how the story ends? Read John 14:1-6 NKJV/Revelation 21-22.
My prayer for you today is to appreciate history and your time and place to be a Godly part of that.