You've probably seen the "magnet-talk" word game. It's a collection of little magnets, each with a word on it. You put the words on your refrigerator, arranging them to say whatever you want to say.
"Magnet-talk" makes me think of the many words God has and continues to speak to us. Imagine the kind of stuff God would write on our refrigerators.
"I love you." "I planned you." "You are forgiven." "You are mine." "I believe in you." "I will provide for you." "Don't worry."
God's words are life-giving, creative, and good. They speak grace, forgiveness, love, mercy, peace, healing, calling, and opportunity.
Even when God speaks a challenging word, a correcting word, the words are good and sweeter than honey (Psalm 19:10).
God desires for these words to be written - not just on our refrigerators - but on our hearts and souls and minds.
Tragically, far too often the good messages of God are tainted and twisted into something very bad.
"I don't care about you." "You do not matter." "You are alone." "Take care of your self." "No one will ever love you."
It's as if someone sneaked into our kitchen while we were gone and rearranged all our words into sadistic, pessimistic, hurtful messages.
Discipleship, the process of growing to be more like Jesus, is the way we get our words straight. Sin has deafened us and mixed up everything. As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, we can hear God clearly and respond faithfully.
Step one (although to be repeated often) is to bring the whole convoluted bucket of words to Jesus. Give it to him and let him sort through the pieces. He will discard some, add some, and begin to rewrite our story.
The Psalmist paints this picture.
"God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him... God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes." (Psalm 18:20-24, The Message).
We also have work to do as the text of our life is rewritten. We are to learn the stories of God, get to know Jesus, grow in salvation, watch and listen for God daily, surround ourselves with other Christians, follow the Spirit's lead, and collaborate with Him.
Our lives will always be a work in progress. But as the story is rewritten, we soon will be amazed and awed as the one-time tragedy becomes a story of unparalleled triumph.
Jesus is, after all, the author of life! (Acts 3:15)
God bless you.
Pastor David Gira
What's Your Story?
