A Story That Makes Sense When Nothing Makes Sense.

2020 had been all about stories.

Unimaginable stories narrated to my younger son. He was six years old and he loved my stories. Or at least gives the impression that he loves them.

The preparation for storytelling usually takes on this interesting process.

Firstly, he pleads with me for an awesome story. I try to bypass the inevitable because storytelling can be a very draining exercise. Because one has to remember all the characters. You need to have a unique plot. You need to have a great conclusion.

Secondly, I try to present to him my preferred list of key characters. But he rebuts with his key heroes. Usually, he prefers lions, giraffes, elephants, tigers and the entire animal kingdom. There are days I am fed up running through the jungle with these animals. But it seems there is no end to the energy of my son for one more ‘animal story’.

Thirdly, I start the story. It takes a long time to start a story. Because in my mind, I am running ahead wondering if I launch the story in the lion’s den where will I finally land my story. There are days I am highly inspired and engineer an extremely inspiring opening scene like the Lion King movie. With all the music, sound and lights. And animals. But most of the days, it is just the elephant roaming aimlessly through the forest.

Fourthly, I am looking for a crisis in the story. The crisis can be anything. The lion is almost killed. The mouse becomes the king of the forest. And all that. Searching for a crisis can also be a draining experience. What is a crisis for me was not much of a crisis for my 6 year old son. It needed to be a creative crisis that would capture his imagination.

Fifthly, I am trying to come out of the crisis. With all these animals running amok, I need to find out who will be the ultimate hero who will set things right. Some days when my creative juices are flowing, I am able to engineer a group of heroes like Animal Avengers who will set things right. Most days, it is just a lonely mongoose. Or a wild cat. Sometimes, even an ant works.

Finally, I am dashing for a fitting finale. It’s probably because I have seen the Lion King series with my older son, that I am pushed for the need to have an awesome finish to the story. But most days, my mind refuses to rise to the occasion. The story just finishes. Simply. Uncomplicated. With no post-credits.

This storytelling exercise reminds me of how I often enter into a storytelling dialogue with my Heavenly Father.

Firstly, I am desperate for God to write an awesome story with my life. I want God to script a story with my life that will thrill me and enthuse me. A story that will drive my passion.

Secondly, I prefer God to write a story with my key characters. I want God to write a story, but I am on a pursuit to ensure God chooses my favourite characters. It ends up not been God’s story but my story. Often I want to be the hero in the story. I want to look great and grand. The characters in my life-story must make me look good.

Thirdly, it seems God’s story takes a long time to start. It seems to be boring and unimaginative. God’s stories seem old-fashioned with outdated values of integrity, honesty and truth. Entering into God’s story means I cannot mess around too much. I have to live a clean clear life.

Fourthly, often the crisis in God’s story is not where I would want it to be. In God’s story for my life, I am often trying to escape a crisis. I am trying to play safe. God often uses a crisis in my life-story to draw me closer to Him. To make me more like Him. To make me trust Him more. But I rather skip a crisis. Or slip from it. Or slide away. But God plants a crisis exactly at the point where it will honour Him the most.

Fifthly, it seems in God’s story there is always only one hero. Jesus. It doesn’t seem fair that I don’t get an opportunity to play famous or be on centre-stage. The script insists on taking twists and turns and drawing me to make Jesus famous. Jesus has to be at the centre of it all. It is painful to live on the sidelines and watch Jesus become famous. But I discovered that when I move to the sidelines and more that allow Jesus to be the star player, the story becomes more meaningful. More significant. More glorious.

Finally, the fitting finale doesn’t seem to be what I always want. In fact, the story never seems to have a fitting conclusion. The Heavenly Father is always promising an extraordinary post-credit beyond all that I face today. Hang in there. Never give up. Press on. He will make things right…one day!

God’s story always indicates that the best is yet to come.

The best post-credit that no movie seems to guarantee. It simply reads:

“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.” (The Bible)

Don’t miss out listening to the Heavenly Father’s story today. It’s a story that makes sense when nothing makes sense.

It’s God’s story. Not your story.

It’s a story that makes Jesus famous. Not you.

It’s a story that will glorify God regardless of your worst crisis.

Don’t miss His story today. In you. For you.