Jimbo's Jots

Today is Wednesday, February 10, 2016. It is the 41st day in the year 2016. There are 324 more days in the year. Each day brings a new line to our story. Each day there is a opportunity to start over. It’s like when we wake up the “Once upon a time” moment is written. So the day starts and we determine based on our actions and attitude how the story will be written this day.

Children are taught in our schools about the art of writing a good story. There is the litany of characters that are developed. There is writing, editing, and re-writing so that the story has some flow to it. The goal of the story from the author’s perspective is to draw the reader in to the story. In some small or large way, the reader drawn in to the story becomes then a part of the story. The “Once upon a time” reader is dreams of how it would be to be a character in the story draw swords, being the hero or heroine, defeating the bad guy.

Many years ago, God began to write a story. It’s a story of love, relationship, power, love, grace, mercy, thankfulness. But it’s also a story of jealousy, evil, a constant battle, sorrow, pain, hurt, rejection. God’s story begins with “In the beginning”. It tells of the creation and in God’s story, words flowed out. His words produced light out of darkness, heavens and earth, waters in the heavens and waters on earth, creatures and living things that would inhabit the creation. As God wrote, each day was good.

Then he creates man (and woman). That was very good! For as God said, they are to be formed in His image.

“For God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

For me the coolest thing about that story is that I’m a part of that story. You are a part of that story. God’s story in Genesis is just as much of our story as it is the beginning of creation. God’s plan was to be with us all along. It was because of our sin that we have been distanced from him.  And even in the creation story as we read in Genesis 3, God’s plan of relationship and restoration was from the beginning.

So even when we (I) mess up, God’s desire is to continue writing his story in me. We are given everyday as a reminder of the continuing work of God in our lives, and the writing of His story through us that begin written long before “in the beginning”.

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.” (1 Peter 1:18-20)