A Picture or a Story?

 

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. (Isaiah 43:1-4 ESV).

 

A picture can indeed tell a story, and sometimes, it can do so more effectively than words. In fact, the common wisdom is that "a picture is worth a thousand words." However, it's more nuanced than simply a one-to-one word count comparison. A picture can convey emotion, mood, and even complex narratives, but the effectiveness of storytelling through images, depending on the photographer's skill in capturing and arranging those images, will create a coherent narrative. Such a story is not merely a snapshot of a moment, it is the total sum of the subject. God is the Master Storyteller.

 

I’ll be honest: there are days when I’m not sure I want someone else to be my storyteller. I’m not sure I want my story to head through uncertainty while it slowly winds its way toward God’s happy ending. While it might be exciting for other people to see God weave their stories through adventure after adventure, I personally find that kind of suspense exhausting.

 

Instead of a story, I think I would prefer a nice picture. I think I would rather have a nice photograph or painting where nothing much happens. I can imagine a pleasant scene where I am enjoying beautiful weather in lovely surroundings. And the best part about this picture would be that it would present very few surprises. Mostly I’d just sit there, relaxing. There are days when I think I’d rather feel that kind of safety than to actually experience God at work. Fortunately, God doesn’t usually grant me that request. Perhaps the same is true for you. You see, we don’t shape our stories; they shape us. Every twist and turn in your narrative is a carefully arranged step in God’s process for developing each of us into the image of Christ. God determines exactly what is necessary for helping us become the person God has called us to be. God doesn’t lead us into our life stories because those adventures will be easy. He leads us into them because they will be good.

 

How about you… are you willing to let God lead you?