A Great Story

Stories are important. I’m not talking just about the kind of stories we read in books. Rather, I think our lives are stories, too. More precisely, we all live our lives within the framework of what we believe to be “our story.” The stories we tell about ourselves (and the stories others tell about us) shape our reality. They shape how we think, feel, and act. They shape how we relate to others. Stories are helpful because they provide a context for understanding our lives. But our stories are subject to error and can cause us to see a distorted picture of the world and our place in it.

Even those in my field have re-discovered the importance of our life stories. Narrative therapy has been one of the more recent trends in counseling and it is an approach that emphasizes the stories we tell about ourselves and how we can retell those stories in ways that are more accurate and meaningful. For a Christian perspective on understanding and reshaping our own stories, I’d recommend To Be Told, by Dan Allender.

I was reminded of the importance of stories this week as I finished teaching a rather long series of Sunday School lessons covering the book of Acts. The book of Acts, of course, is the story of the early church (though primarily about the lives and ministries of Peter and Paul). It is an amazing tale of how God directed the lives of the apostles, how God protected their lives, and how God worked through them to spread the good news while at the same time meet the real needs of real people along the way. And the way the story ends has had an impact on me this week.

As Luke (the author) brings his story to a close in the last two chapters, he vividly reminds us of these elements all over again. (1) God shows up In the midst of the confusion and chaos of a hurricane and speaks to Paul. Paul is strengthened by the knowledge that God is in control and is directing his life. (2) Even though Paul encounters the terrible situations of being shipwrecked and then being bitten by a poisonous snake on Malta, God continues to protect Paul’s life. (3) To the very end, Paul is sharing the good news with everyone he can and is healing the sick. God continues to use Paul as his messenger and instrument of care.

Then Luke does something a little strange. He ends the story rather abruptly. Paul is in Rome, under house arrest, and, well,... the end.

It seems to be Luke’s version of “to be continued……” Maybe Luke did this purposefully. After all, the story of the church doesn’t end there. In fact, the story of the church as been continually developing for a couple thousand years now (just not in written form like in Acts). I was struck by the idea that my life is a continuation of the story we read in Acts. I am a part of the church and my story is part of that story. So I was left wondering….

(1) How is God directing my life?
(2) How is God protecting my life?
(3) How is God using me to spread the good news?
(4) How is God using me to meet the real needs of real people?

These kinds of questions help me see my life within the context of a more meaningful and accurate story.

My sense is that many college students feel lost, wondering where their places are in this world. For those that may be reading…… be encouraged. Your story is a part of this story, too. What God has done for Peter, Paul and the apostles, God will do for you and me, too.