Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” Matthew 22.29.
Is it sometimes hard for you to read your Bible? If so, you aren’t alone. Even though it contains God’s message to His people, some folks find it…well…a real “snoozer,” much like trying to stay awake at the opera when you know nothing about the story.
Some people think the Bible is a disjointed tome of mostly unrelated stories. Not so. The Bible is one story. One simple, beautiful, profound story repeated over and over again until, hopefully, we finally get it. This is the story in a nutshell:
God is omni (all) powerful, knowing, present, and just. He created human beings to be in a loving parent-child relationship with him. Throughout the story, however, his children repeatedly disobey, become prideful, mock him, call him weak, and forget him altogether for centuries at a time! He lets them suffer the consequences of their rebellion, but he never abandons them. As the story unfolds so does God’s plan. He makes the ultimate sacrifice – hinted at throughout the ages – so his children can be with him forever, whether they deserve to or not.
That’s the story. It’s told in prose, in poetry, in drama and in song. It’s explained in metaphors, analogies, and parables. It’s alluded to in prophecies, and repeated in letters, sermons, and testimonies. The story is revealed through the lives and voices of heroes, heroines, and villains. It is sorrowful and humorous, frightening and elating. It has sex and violence, war and peace, victory and defeat. It is set in history, stretches across cultures, and spans millenniums.
We don’t have to memorize it. We just need to read it thoroughly enough to appreciate it, understand it, and share it. After all, it is about us.
According to the story, Christ won all our battles and defeated all our demons when he died on the cross. We can slap God in the face with this gift like a rebellious child bent on destruction, or we can claim His victory as ours and live a redeemed life to His glory. Our part in The Story is up to us. How are you writing yours?
Father, open our hearts to enjoy and understand your word, the only story worth reading. Amen.
Sandra Milholland
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