What’s God’s favorite story?
I’ve never considered myself a great storyteller, but I am a story lover. There’s nothing I loved more than when my parents would tell me the “old timey” stories. My dad made up bedtime stories, and they were good, but when he told me the real stories of his childhood he captured my full attention.
Nothing draws me in as quickly as a “real life” story.
I love hearing the real deal, straight from the horse's mouth. I don’t want a secondhand story—sure there’s a part of me, like you, that is tempted by the latest secondhand gossip at times. The deeper, more mature part of me would rather just hear it straight up or not at all. I’m tired of secondhand storytelling. We live in a day where there’s little trust of even professional secondhand storytelling. Real stories directly from real people are powerful.
I’m curious about what kind of stories God likes. The Bible must give us some clues. A 10,000 foot glance at the Bible shows us this:
God’s stories involve a lot of different players.
God’s stories are a unique mix of individuals, families, and whole nations.
God’s stories are about relational interaction: God and people, people and people, nation and God, people and nation.
There are 66 books written by at least 40 people telling somewhere around 800 stories.
(Hard to count, as some run into each other, and some are hidden in others).
Different genres are used: poetry, narrative, prophesy, history, letters, and more
Jesus used incredibly well-crafted, pointed parables to teach.
The gospel writers gave us as many Jesus stories as they could recount, and even the order in which they chose to share those stories tells an intentional story.
Rosalind Hervey on our ONE staff often says that she got to a point in life where she really needed God to tell her story back to her. Jesus gave her a title to her story—He called it “The Long Rescue.” That was not her current working title, but it changed things to hear God call it that. He’s a good, honest storyteller and we can trust His firsthand account.
Rosalind’s experience reminds me of a story out of Genesis 12. It’s the story of God telling Abraham to leave his home, to get out of his country, out of his father’s home, and go to a country that God would show him. This strong ask came with a strong promise.
The promise was a story that was not only about Abraham but about his entire lineage—it was a legacy promise story.
Listen to the future story God told Abraham about his life:
“I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3)
I wonder what that story sounded like on Abraham’s death bed? If the “call” version of the story is any indication, maybe it sounded like this: Abraham, you were blessed and you were a blessing. I always had your back. I blessed all the families on the earth through you.
Sounds a lot like a long rescue to me. Not only a long rescue of Abraham but a blessing of all the families on earth. Wow.
Let’s take a minute to listen to Jesus about His side of the story in relation to our lives.
Jesus, how do You title my story?
Jesus, what do You know about my story that I don’t know yet?
Jesus, what’s Your version of the story of all people—the whole world—all the families on earth?
Jesus, what story am I believing that’s not Your truth?
Jesus, what is true?
Jesus, what’s Your favorite story?