What's Your Story?

In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace which he has freely given us in the One he loves. - Ephesians 1:12

Once upon a time, in a land no longer far away, a child was born.  Naked, bloody and helpless it was thrown into the wilderness to die.  Before wild beasts could devour it, the Master of the sun – and everything under it – rescued the child because it was his.  He made a covenant he would always keep, and loved it with a Love too powerful to comprehend.

Like most children, this child’s gratitude was conditional, and its memory short.  Over time a pattern emerged that grieved the father’s heart.  When the child misbehaved, the father rescued, warned and forgave.  After a period of remorse, the child rebelled again, and again the father rescued, warned and forgave.  The child continued to ignore its father’s warnings, behaving more detestably than the wickedest children in the world!  

Many years passed and the child forgot Who, where, and what condition it was in when rescued.  At his wit’s end – and in an effort to ultimately save the child’s life – the father did something he had never done before.  He withdrew his favor.  His punishment is reputed to have equaled the severity of the child’s depravity.  It also proved the depth of the father’s love.  

As the story goes, the father kept all his covenant promises to the child, eventually extending those promises to his adopted children as well.    

And the rest, they say, is history.

You may recognize this story.  It’s my sophomoric attempt to summarize a portion of the prophet Ezekiel’s graphic, sometimes pornographic, message to the children of Israel (see Ezekiel 5).  

Paul began his letter to the Christians in Ephesus by reminding them of the spiritual blessings they enjoy because God adopted them and treated them like his own flesh and blood.  

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “There is properly no history, only biography.”  From the beginning of time our “biography” has been part of God’s plan.  It not only reminds us of our past, but reveals our future as well.

Awesome Father, you rescued us when we were too rebellious to know we needed rescuing.  Your love is so great it breaks our hardened hearts.  Fill us with your presence so our lives can be a praise to your glorious grace.  Through Christ we pray, amen.

Sandra Milholland

Abilene, Texas