The question surging through my mind for the past few days has been, "If all the world's the a stage, and history, in contrast to a string of random events, is a play that God is writing and directing, then what role is He asking me to play?"
I've been enjoying the book by Robert Webber, Ancient-Future Worship, and he makes the following statement, "I once understood the gospel as God asking me to let him into my narrative, to find room for him in my heart and life. But now I realize that God bids me to find my place in his narrative." This is challenging me in at least two ways. First, this concept takes me out of my self-centered view of the world and gives me a theocentric world view. Second, it reminds me that God isn't asking me to be somebody else for Him... He's just asking me to be me for Him.
The first concept had been resonating with me before I picked up the book, and is repeated in other books that I've read, and seems to be on the hearts of others with whom I have community. Rick Warren says in his book, The Purpose Driven Church, that Saddleback (the church he founded) isn't the only thing that God is doing, but what God is doing at Saddleback, others shouldn't work to copy it. He likens it to surfing. You can teach someone to surf, and you can teach them to catch a wave, but you can't teach someone to make a wave, only God is in that business. Therefore we need to be watching for the waves he's making and then ride them. Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God suggests that we need to stop taking up great causes and then asking God to bless them, rather we need to see what God is doing and join Him! Both those ideas caught my attention five years ago or more. Webber is just reminding me again. It seems important to get hold of this idea because, frankly, if I view myself as the one directing the project then I get to take credit for it... I get the pats on the back. There is a significant degree of arrogance in Christianity, and I wonder if some of, or maybe a lot of, it isn't based in our own sense of the "great things we're doing for God" when we ought to be simply giving him glory for what he continues to do in and through us, frail and broken as we are - though made in His image and deeply valued by Him. Paul (the apostle that is) says, "And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NASB).
The second concept just affirms the He has made me for something and will use me for that purpose if I'm willing. Many of us live in the shadows of others - I think wishing we could be like them, and do what they're doing. I suspect any one of us has been there, and perhaps will be again. This however challenges me to get back again to Him. He's made me for Himself, I'm His and He's purposeful. If all the actors on the stage play the same part not only is the story not compelling or enjoyable to watch... it just doesn't work.
Though there are times when the world, and its story, look like a random string of unrelated events, there are too many things in my own life, and in history in general, that point to a plot - there is a writer and director who knows all the parts and all the actors and how the plot turns out. I'm hoping to be attentive to my role which is not to be in charge, or play someone else's part.
"All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances..."
-Shakespeare
I've been enjoying the book by Robert Webber, Ancient-Future Worship, and he makes the following statement, "I once understood the gospel as God asking me to let him into my narrative, to find room for him in my heart and life. But now I realize that God bids me to find my place in his narrative." This is challenging me in at least two ways. First, this concept takes me out of my self-centered view of the world and gives me a theocentric world view. Second, it reminds me that God isn't asking me to be somebody else for Him... He's just asking me to be me for Him.
The first concept had been resonating with me before I picked up the book, and is repeated in other books that I've read, and seems to be on the hearts of others with whom I have community. Rick Warren says in his book, The Purpose Driven Church, that Saddleback (the church he founded) isn't the only thing that God is doing, but what God is doing at Saddleback, others shouldn't work to copy it. He likens it to surfing. You can teach someone to surf, and you can teach them to catch a wave, but you can't teach someone to make a wave, only God is in that business. Therefore we need to be watching for the waves he's making and then ride them. Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God suggests that we need to stop taking up great causes and then asking God to bless them, rather we need to see what God is doing and join Him! Both those ideas caught my attention five years ago or more. Webber is just reminding me again. It seems important to get hold of this idea because, frankly, if I view myself as the one directing the project then I get to take credit for it... I get the pats on the back. There is a significant degree of arrogance in Christianity, and I wonder if some of, or maybe a lot of, it isn't based in our own sense of the "great things we're doing for God" when we ought to be simply giving him glory for what he continues to do in and through us, frail and broken as we are - though made in His image and deeply valued by Him. Paul (the apostle that is) says, "And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NASB).
The second concept just affirms the He has made me for something and will use me for that purpose if I'm willing. Many of us live in the shadows of others - I think wishing we could be like them, and do what they're doing. I suspect any one of us has been there, and perhaps will be again. This however challenges me to get back again to Him. He's made me for Himself, I'm His and He's purposeful. If all the actors on the stage play the same part not only is the story not compelling or enjoyable to watch... it just doesn't work.
Though there are times when the world, and its story, look like a random string of unrelated events, there are too many things in my own life, and in history in general, that point to a plot - there is a writer and director who knows all the parts and all the actors and how the plot turns out. I'm hoping to be attentive to my role which is not to be in charge, or play someone else's part.
"All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances..."
-Shakespeare
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