I Forget the Story

We people, as a general rule, are quick to forget. I forget the big story constantly and live in my little story. When I stop for five or ten minutes at the beginning of the day and tell myself the big story again, it brings a lot of good perspective to the day. We should never get too 'advanced' for the basics...

God existed before time and was perfectly happy in Himself. Very happy, in fact. As an extension of His nature, creativity, and to bring more glory to Himself, He created the heavens, earth, and everything in them. Mankind was made in His image. That's big. Man rebelled, and continues to rebel. I rebel. God redeems, by grace. Much grace. He chooses as He pleases, though He is not obligated to. Abram was chosen out of a pagan family. Isaac was chosen over Ishmael. Jacob was chosen though he was a rascal. Israel was chosen though she was small. All these still rebelled. Grace was still extended, first for His glory and name's sake...second for their benefit. Sin is a debilitating problem. Redemption is an ongoing story. Human pride is always with us. Divine mercy stays His hand from rightfully crushing us. The Old Testament shadows Jesus and the New reveals Him in His meekness and majesty. He was perfect. He was snuffed out, but not. He is alive. He is alive. He is alive. Oh, how I forget this part of the story daily. He is alive. He is moving. He is intimate. He is involved. He is transforming. He is saving. He is molding. He is watching. He is waiting. He is building, building that glorious bride that He loves and we too often hate--His church. He is sending, sending that church to the tribes and nations, sending with a redeeming message of hope--God rescues sinners for His glory. Sinners like me. He rescues and then does not stop. He washes. He sanctifies. He grows. He trades our sin for His Son's righteousness. He changes our thinking from little story to big. He transplants from peon kingdoms to the Ultimate Kingdom. He displays the greatness of His God-ness as compared to the crumbling cigarette ash of our little replacement gods. He puts a new song in our mouths that sings of His glory and then lets our chorus be a witness to the world of His supremacy. He is supreme. The way things are now is not the way things will always be. His Kingdom shall reign forever and ever and ever. He is coming back. Yes, He is coming back. To rule. To love. To reign. To be seen for all time in His full radiance. We see now so very dimly what will be seen in stunning clarity--He will be great beyond our imaginings.

Oh, redeemed sinner, remember the bigger story with me.