We've been spending some time in our theology course talking about the idea of 'story' as it relates to theology and knowledge. And something that has been standing out to me over these discussions has been the professors' emphasis on contrasting individualism (it's all about me) with corporate identity (it's all about us).
I seem them fighting a hard fight between what the Bible says our stories are about and what our culture says we're about. One professor, as an example, highlighted how our generation approaches the Word of God. Do I come to it looking for little energy drinks of inspiration to get me through my day? Do I see it as my ammo for proving my theology or way of thinking? Do I see it as the manual "How to get into heaven - a 2000 page step by step approach." He highlighted that in each of these examples, the central focus in our motivation is ultimately and unfortunately on us.
And over the past several years, I know God has already begun writing this new chapter in my life by making louder the question - Who is this story of your life about, Chad? He invites us to be a part of the bigger story, the story of redemption rather than leave the story centered on one broken man who found a fix. This doesn't discount personal and individual salvation but it should welcome us to participate in a wedding feast that involves a groom, the Son of Man, and the bride, His church.
When it ends with me, and in my thinking and living, unfortunately, it often does, the story might be entertaining or dramatic for a time but after a short amount of time will be completely forgettable. When it ends with Him, and His glory, and His ultimate plan to use His people to shine His light all over this darkness, we receive the joy of being part of something so much grander, so much larger, so much better, so much more memorable.
I recall some lines I wrote a few years ago when God began to change the course of this story for me:
Every page and every line
Everyone was made to find
Every day a grand design...
The only One, the only God
The only place to find true love
The only hope beyond this life
We were made to wear His glory
We were made to tell His story
We all are monuments
Living our days to display You
To show all the world its about You, around You
Beginning and middle and end
We all are testaments
To make Your name known to all nations
To tell of Your Son and His story, Your glory
He died and then rose again
We all are monuments, testaments, tapestries, open books
Write Your story on our hearts.
