We are all shaped by stories, aren’t we? A tender-hearted teenager hears a speaker talk about their work as a medical missionary and they decide right then and there that’s what they want to do with their life. Someone else reads a biography of a Navy Seal and thinks, “That’s for me!” This kind of shaping is obvious, but stories shape us in other ways as well.
We’re surrounded by stories—they’re everywhere. There are the stories we heard while growing up—in our homes, at school, from our friends—and even from our enemies. There are stories we read in books, heard in songs, or saw portrayed in movies. But stories didn’t just affect the formative years of our youth, they continue to influence us throughout our lives. The difference is hopefully we’re more aware of and discerning regarding their influence. Still, I suspect that for most of us, they shape us more than we realize or know.
We’re shaped by stories because that’s the way our Father made us. That’s why God has given us in the biblical witness the ultimate story. It contains 66 books, but it is one glorious story. Jesus alluded to this overarching narrative when He talked about “all that the prophets have spoken” as well as “what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:26-27). He did the same thing later when He said how, “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms” and then He “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (v. 44-45). To no one’s surprise, Jesus is the big story of Scripture!
In the previously quoted text from Luke, a disciple named Cleopas and his friend were traveling to Emmaus three days after Jesus’ death on the cross. Christ joined them but hid His identity from them and asked what they had been discussing (v. 16-17). They told Him about Jesus of Nazareth and how they had “hoped He was the One who was going to redeem Israel” (v. 21). But He had been crucified, and His body was missing. Some women said they had spoken with angels who told them He was alive, but when others went to the tomb “they did not see Jesus” (v. 24).
From their perspective, the situation was summed up by the words, they “had hoped” and “they did not see Jesus.” Poor Cleopas and friend—they were missing out on a critical part of the story. It’s not that it wasn’t there in Scripture (it was). It’s not that they weren’t familiar with Scripture—there’s nothing to indicate that was the problem. The issue was—they were slow to believe what they had read. This reminds us that our challenge isn’t to just expose ourselves to Scripture—it is to embrace it.
What can we do to maximize our reading of Scripture?
The first is obvious—be consistent in our reading. The things we do consistently tend to become the most meaningful. Consistently exposing ourselves to the message of God will pay huge dividends in our walk with the Lord. So, I challenge us to find a consistent time and place—a sacred space—to do our reading.
Read thoughtfully. We should ask ourselves how what we are reading connects with what we have previously read? How does it develop the big story of Scripture?
Read personally. What does what we are reading say to us and the life we are living? What attitudes to we need to adopt? What changes do we need to make? Let our delight be in God’s word and allow it to shape our lives. Allow God to shape us through His story.
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 