Finding Your Story in God’s Story

When I am perusing through a book store often what first catches my attention is the cover of a book or the title. If it doesn't capture my imagination I put it back and don’t buy it.  That methodology doesn't always work because I have purchased some books that weren't very good. As more and more books move to electronic formats, like Kindle, Nook, Logos or Vyrso, where there is no cover to judge the book by I have to rely on other methods to determine if I want to purchase the book.  Often I decide to read books from authors I’ve liked or I listen to the recommendations from friends or a family member.   

One day my Aunt Ethel handed me a book written by a civil war solider, actually an officer.  I looked at the book it wasn’t about history or sports as I simply judged this book by its cover. You, too might have passed on this book.  Its title is Descendants of Christian and Elizabeth (Oliver) Bosbyshell.  There were no pictures, no faces on the front cover, the title was faded and barely legible.  The cover was dark blue.   The back cover had nothing on it either.   It written by someone I had never heard of before, Oliver Bosbyshell who was a retired Major in U. S. Army. 

The irony is that this bland looking book is now a treasured gift.  I become enthralled as soon as I started glancing through its pages.

My attention was captured when I saw the names of people dear to me, Carlton Wadsworth Wilson and Magdalene Hoffman—my deceased grandparents, Joseph Wadsworth Wilson and Emma Krusen my deceased great grandparents. It included Ethel May Wilson—my aunt, Carlton Russell Wilson—my Father and Carlton Wadsworth Wilson II, my uncle, who passed away as an infant. 

This is not just any book; this is a book about my family heritage.  The stories that these names tell would probably not be of any interest to you, but they are to me.  That’s what happens when you hear part of your story.  Something that seems lifeless comes to life.  Something that looks dull becomes dynamite, firing up your heart and igniting your imagination.  You are reminded that you are part of something bigger than you are, that began before you and will continue on after you.

That is why God wants you to know his story.  It’s found in another book. He wants to take you into his house where He has framed photos of your ancestors––folks you may not know––lining the walls of his house.

Stories of a family patriarch named Abraham whose faith was as great as any.  A matriarch named Ruth with courage that would make the most hardened warrior proud.  Stories about a stubborn Jonah and his improbable fish tale, to the impetuous Peter and his big mouth, to persistent Paul and his adventures in church planting.

Yet who He wants most of all for you to meet in His story is His son. He desires for you to look long into the eyes of Jesus Christ and hear His claims that what He began in the first chapter of creation He will realize at the last chapter of the New Creation, where a perfect people can live in a perfect place with their perfect Lord.

I invite you to read His story so that you can discover your story inside God’s great story. Beginning January 25 the journey to know God’s story will start.  Get involved in The Story of God.  It will forever transform your life and your family’s life. Every day God is seeking to guide you, forming sentences that flow into paragraphs that over time write the story of your life––a life committed to knowing him better. 

Will you choose today to take your life story and make it a part of the Big Story of what God is doing on earth?