He heals the wounds of every shattered heart. Psalm 147:3 (TPT)
Redemption Story – Part 4
Go to PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3
The word scripture means a piece of writing that is truth or sacred. Although we usually only hear the word about the Christian Biblical text, many religions have their own scriptures. In fact, I would go so far to say that we all have a scripture. We all have sacred writings – whether it be words on paper, or the blood pumping through our hearts, or our fathers voices in our ears – that bear our truth, any given one of them. Nature has a scripture; history shares its scriptures; our individual lives tell a sacred story: scripture, holy and true.
We’ve spent the last couple of days looking at how the beauty found in the natural world is permeated with Christ and declares his glory, in its own way. The stars, the sun, the glassy ocean, a soft, warm breeze… The rocks cry out his praises.
But what about the parts of nature that are twisted and dangerous… what about the places around the earth that are dark and destitute – when you look at those place you don’t feel surrounded by the truth of who God is, his love and peace. Rather, they exude fear and hostility, confusion and hopelessness. What do we do with that part of the story?
We know that all life is precious: God created us all in love and hope. And when it came to it, he was willing to risk his own son – he got as vulnerable as he could – to show us that his plan all along was to have us by his side. Family. But what about the people in our lives, and in history, and those we see on TV or read about online, that deserve anything but grace and love. The people that fill our hearts with fear and anger – that hurt and destroy… What do we do with that part of the story?
Now, don’t freak out… but I’m about to say something that some of us who have grown up in the church may be a little hesitant to say… The Bible isn’t all good stories. Within its pages, in its scriptures (sacred and holy) are some crazy mixed up stories. There’s murder, incest, abuse, war, retribution… if you actually read the Bible and explore all its corners, it can be a pretty confusing book. What do we with the confusing parts of the story? The parts that make no sense at all?
When I look at the Biblical text, the sacredness of it isn’t whether or not it's inerrant, or whether or not it can be proved historically; it isn’t about splitting hairs and crossing t’s. The sacredness for me comes through the narrative.
And for me, that narrative is redemption, healing, and growth.
Redemption is always possible. This is true for nature, for the parts of our lives that we’re embarrassed and ashamed about, and for the parts of our collective and individual histories that disgust us.
“He heals the wounds of every shattered heart.” Ps 147:3 (TPT)
And when redemption plays a key role in the narrative, we don't have to run from the things we can’t explain, the things that terrify and confuse us. We can approach them with wisdom and grace, facing them head on knowing that we're not expected to understand instantly, or even in a lifetime, but we are invited to explore and adventure down the possibilities of God's redemptive ways for the earth, each other, and ourselves.
As is the way with God, he involves us in his redemption – we are not bystanders. What we have been freely given, we can freely give. We don’t just receive redemption, we are a part of it. We can write this impossible, beautiful scripture across the world with our own lives.
Go to Part 5 – The Fallen »
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