A Story of Love

Contributed by:

Staci Overbeck

Ministry Assistant

Once upon a time there was…nothing. It’s kind of hard to believe isn’t it?  Nothing. Nada. Zilch. While on our honeymoon my husband and I visited a cave in southern Indiana. As part of the tour, the guide took us deep into the cave and then turned off all the lights. If you have never experienced total darkness, there is no way you can know the feeling. It is as if nothing else exists.

The greatest story ever told begins, “In the beginning God…” Even in the midst of consuming darkness and nothingness, God was there. He formed the earth and filled it with every manner of beautiful thing. He created out of nothing all that we see and know. How amazing is that? What is even more amazing is that He did it all for us – a people that He knew from the get go would turn away – a people who would consistently choose to rebel. 

This past weekend, Pastor Ron began a new sermon series entitled “The Story” that will guide us through scripture from the creation of the world to God’s redemptive work on the cross. We talked about creation and how Adam and Eve chose to leave the boundaries of their freedom to pursue the lies of the evil one. We talked about God’s grace and the impact of sin in our lives and on creation. Pastor Ron also shared the hope that God seeks not to further destroy our lives but to restore us.

The Bible is a story of pursuit. In the small group materials, Randy Frazee refers to two stories shared through Scripture. The “lower story” is the one we see - the sibling rivalry, the greed, the envy, and so forth. But, there is also an “upper story.” This is the story that ties it all together, and it is the story of God’s supreme passion to be with us and to pursue us at all costs.

We all have a lower story. It’s easy to see the daily struggles and effects of sin. It is when we begin to see the upper story that we glimpse the true heart of God. It’s a story that will stretch our faith and grow us in ways we could never imagine. It is a story of love.

Things to think about:

• Take a few minutes to think about…nothing.   Imagine the world before “God created” and thank Him for His creative work.

• Think for a few minutes about your lower story.  Have you seen God’s hand woven through the details?

• Have you ever considered that there could be an upper story?  Does the idea change your perspective on how you view your circumstances?

• Ask God to open your heart and your mind to all that He has to show you this week, and throughout this series, as you seek to get to know His heart and to learn more about His story in the weeks to come.