Monday, September 16, 2013

He's Always in the Story


“You have searched me, Lord, 
 and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue
 you, Lord, know it completely.  You hem me in behind and before, 
 and you lay your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.  Where can I go from your Spirit? 
 Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; 
 if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, 
if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me
 and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” (Psalm 139:1-12 NIV)

This past weekend at our Fall Retreat, the ministry staff each shared their stories.  We termed it, “Naked Narratives.”  The idea was to be honest and vulnerable, sharing how God’s characteristics were threads in our life stories.  Each was a powerful testimony to God’s immeasurable love and power to overcome sin and darkness.  My wife shared about the Lord’s pursuit of her even when she was wasn’t looking for Him.  Another told the story of God’s faithfulness throughout her life.  And another told how the Lord spoke truth to Him when He was living a lie.  

As I was praying before my talk yesterday morning on God’s comfort and strength, a clear thought came into my mind: “He’s always in the story.” As I had reflected on each staff story, the one consistent thread was God was always in the story.  Sometimes, He was front and center, but often He was in the shadows, having been pushed aside or ignored.  But He was still there.  The same is true as I look back on my story.  When I had no knowledge of Him, He was there.  When I invited Him into my life, He was there.  When I rebelled and was disobedient, He still remained in my story.  When tragedies struck, He remained a steady presence.  

Whether I realized His presence in my story at any given time or not, when I look back, I see He was there all the time.  As David acknowledges, there is nowhere the Lord is not present.  We can run from Him; we can hide from Him; or we can find ourselves in the darkest of places.  He is still present.  He is still in our story.  As we told our stories, this was the greatest encouragement and comfort.  No matter how far we had wandered or how dark life got for us, the Lord was still there, watching over us and continuing to woo us with His love.

Today, know regardless of where you are in life right now, the Lord is present with you.  He always has been and always will be.  There is nothing you can do or anything that can happen which will prevent Him from being a part of your story.  

© Jim Musser 2013

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