Here's a passage from the book, The Story We Find Ourselves In, by Brian D. McLaren.
"When we see his face, it will be a familiar face - the face of one who has intersected with every human being and invited us to leave our tragic stories of wasted possibilities behind, to become part of this better story. That's what he did when he walked on this earth: he invited everyone to become a part of God's better story of grace and glory...For prostitutes, the call of Jesus was to leave their story of men who pay for love, and to enter the story of God, who in love pays for us with his own life. For Pharisees, it was to leave their story of religiousity and superiority and rigidity and judgmentalism, their story that was exclusively focused on their own narrow little sect, and instead to enter God's broader and deeper and better story of grace and compassion and mercy and love for all people...For the rich - like the young ruler Jesus met - it was to abandon the hollow story of acquisition, and instead to enter God's better story of generosity. For farmers and shepherds, it was to realize that there's more to life than just planting seeds of wheat or tending flocks of sheep; instead, Jesus invited them to enter the bigger story of planting seeds of truth and seeking lost men and women, every one of whom is loved and counted and missed by God. For fishermen like Peter and Andrew and James and John, it was to trade in their story of catching fish for a bigger story of fishing for men and women, inviting them into God's story of ongoing creation and redemption...To everyone, Jesus issues an invitation to abandon the story they will lose themselves in, and instead, to enter the story they will find themselves in."
Wow, I didn't mean for that quote to get so long. I really like it though. Those were just some of the examples given in the book of people who were headed somewhere totally different and Jesus gave them a different perspective and it radically transformed the way they lived. Which brings me to the question: What story has Jesus invited me to abandon, in order to enter the story I will find myself in? This is a hard one for me because I became a believer at a young age and I don't remember much about my life before I met Christ. But I have met God many times where He has drastically changed my perspective since then, so I don't think there is only one thing. I will share one example of a process that God is taking me through. I believe that God wants me to abandon my apathetic-ness, in order to truly care about others enough to do something to help them. Not only in a physical sense (like being a nurse and caring for the sick and elderly) but also spiritually. I guess another big one would be giving up my own will, and seeking out God's will. Now the question for you is: What story has Jesus invited You to abandon, in order to enter the story that you will find yourself in?
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5 comments:
that book is on my "to-read" list, i should borrow it from you! hmm, what's my story? to abandon the "good, well-behaved, head knowledge of the Word" life. the story i belong in is one of passion, love and abandonment. i know that sounds general, but i really believe i'm called to live a poured-out life. actually, think of the woman who poured perfume on Christ's feet at bethany. that's the story i'm called to enter in. but like you, apathy tends to drag me down. actually, mostly in the past months of living on my own. and now i'm moving home...lori, thank you for challenging me. you'll be here for me all summer i hope :)
sure, you can borrow it sometime. I think Kendra also asked to borrow it...so you guys can fight it out as to who gets it first.
Lori, I just took your quiz...and i'm so so sorry. how was i to know? worse than random chance...grr.
i took it too...what's with the prediction questions? it's about what we KNOW not what we can predict! :)
Okay, I admit...it was a little hard...But, only ONE of them was a prediction question. The rest were facts about my past or everyday life. Don't worry, I'm not offended that you didn't get 100%.
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