About this time last year, I was sitting in my
parent’s house recovering from surgery. That meant a comfy couch, warm fire, my
wife bringing me food and drinks as I needed them, and access to a DVR with
free movies. As I was scrolling through the options, Superman popped up. Being
a fan of the Christopher Reeves version, I had not taken the time to watch the
new one. I was impressed! I love the retelling of stories from earlier
generations because the characters are given more depth and the stories are
extremely well crafted. I was impressed to watch Clark Kent transform from a wandering, restless man, searching to find out who he was and discover his purpose when the time
came for him to make a decision.
Researchers know that in times of turmoil movie
attendance goes up. Some think this is an “escape mentality,” but I disagree.
People want to see that there is meaning in their life and actions. It is easy
to affirm that by watching a movie or reading a book, where one moves from
introduction to conclusion in a few hours. That is why authors write, directors
film, and people watch movies and read books. It is also why the epic stories
last. Because people can see themselves in the characters portrayed onscreen.
This echoes a cry within our souls for meaning. Life can move faster than one
wants, drag on forever, be exuberant, depressing, overwhelming, uplifting,
unfair, and even brutally harsh at times. It is important to know one’s life
has purpose beyond oneself. But could it be that we are all part of a bigger
story? God’s story?
If we read Genesis 1:1, we will see that
the text begins, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” But
in the original language, it reads like this, “In this beginning
when God created the heavens and the earth.” Let that sink in for a moment,
because it means that Genesis 1:1, normally read as part of the creation account,
is actually the title of a story. In the first chapter, we read that God
creates:
day and night,
sky,
earth and sea,
plants,
sun, moon, and stars,
fish and birds,
land animals,
and finally, human beings.
There are some things the author wants us to
understand from this story: God exists, and He speaks:
First,
to creation. He calls it forth, names it, and gives it purpose.
Second,
to himself as the Trinity (he already knew His purpose).
Finally,
to man, who is formed from the Earth, given a name, and a purpose.
As we continue reading the Genesis story, we
learn that Adam and Eve spoke with God face to face. Then the Fall came and
mankind was separated from God. He continued speaking with mankind,
but the methods changed. We trace God’s voice all throughout the Old Testament.
From Genesis on, the Bible is full of history where God speaks. Including
the age we live in. “God speaks today?” YES, and not through some
kind of divination, but directly to each one of us. Hebrews 1:1 tells us, “Long
ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in
different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has
appointed him heir of all things and made the universe through him.” The writer
wants us to understand that God speaks to us in modern times, and that Jesus is
God. As a matter of fact, he is the God people saw.
We know Jesus is not alive and walking around
today. Thankfully, though, we have a record of Him. It is part of the whole
“different times and different ways.” As a matter of fact, we have a
record of all God’s story in the Bible. A story we were created to take part
in, to have a place in, a purpose. It is a story that will never end! Most of
us think we have purpose. Job, school, family, sports, hobbies, etc…. Those
things are great, but what happens if they disappear? What is the
underlying reason we do what we do? What caused us to do it in the first place?
For some, tradition compels them, others are able to do what they love, some
fall into activities by accident, some are forced into things by life events.
Take a moment to consider life. A great philosopher once said, “An unexamined
life is not worth living.”
Sure, one can exist outside of Jesus. But one will
never live with true purpose. There will always be this gnawing thought
that says something better is out there. Things and activities will never truly
fulfill us because we are not the sum of our existence. We were created with a
purpose, and are all part of something much bigger than ourselves. Our
intuition tells us this is so. It is why we explore, create, dance, build,
acquire, give, and seek to improve ourselves. Ultimate fulfillment is found
when we know who gives us this gift called life, and why he created us. There are
two simple ways to find where we fit in God’s story:
Believe in
the one whom God has sent (Jesus). John 6:28-29 says, “Then
they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”29 Jesus
answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him
whom he has sent.”
Read the God’s story, the Bible. There is a catch though. 1
Corinthians 2:14 states, “…we have received not the
spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand
the things freely given us by God. In other words, we must know Jesus to
understand what we read in the Bible.
In stories that stand the test of
time, the characters we remember take action. We never see a memorable
character who is inactive when the story line comes to a climax. Characters who fail to act often fade out of the story line, along with their stories. Clark
Kent reached a moment that he had to decide he would be Superman to destroy the
terraforming machines and take on General Zod. He did, and we will
watch the sequel because of it. Unlike a movie, God’s story is unique in that He does not want
anyone to fade out of the story line. Everyone has a purpose in God’s story.
This is a crucial point in time; take action and
believe that God has a purpose to reveal to each of us! One might tell Him
silently as they are reading this, “God, I believe that you came to give me
purpose. I will turn my life over to you and follow Jesus.” Some
reading this made the decision to follow Jesus a long time ago. But whether out
of rebellion or ignorance, they may have ignored God’s word and are looking for
purpose. Begin reading the Bible. Start with a chapter of Proverbs a day, then
read more from there. I promise it is life changing.
As this blog continues, I will explore God’s
story and purpose for each of us. Join me in the journey!
