Chapter 2

God’s Story, and Our Story

  • Does God exist? It’s a good question, which most people eventually ask, often in the privacy of their own soul.

    But there’s a second question most of us ask, too.

    Why do I exist? The very improbability of our existence is so unimaginably high that a mere number—say, a probability of one in a billion—would not even be able to capture how utterly strange it is that we exist at all.

    You didn’t invent yourself any more than I invented myself. We didn’t choose to be born who we are, nor did we choose when, where, or why. We were simply dropped into this planet in the middle of some story that was already unfolding. That story began long before we entered the stage of history and will continue long after we are gone.

    How do we make sense of that big story? And, for that matter, our story, too? Why is the very concept of story so central to how we understand ourselves?

    Continue reading in The Christian Faith as a Way of Life

Spiritual Formation

  • Genesis 37, 39-45; Ruth 1-4

    These two compelling stories fit into a larger narrative of God’s redemptive work in human life. What do you learn about the human experience of uncertainty and suffering in these stories, which Joseph and Ruth faced without knowing the outcome. How might their experiences speak to your story? Think about one line that appears several times in the Joseph story: “And the Lord was with Joseph.” Each time it appears Joseph had no evidence in his life that it was true. But it was true!

  • We think in terms of narrative. It is in our nature. But the perspective by which we understand the story of our lives might not be true or helpful. Are you aware of the narratives that keep playing in your head, always on repeat? What is the story you tell yourself about your past, present and future? How does it affect your work, your family life, your response to setbacks and suffering, your friendships, your hopes and aspirations? How you view yourself? Is it a narrative of heroism? Of success? Of victimization? Of boredom? Of hopelessness? Of cynicism? Of self-satisfaction? Now think about a redemptive narrative. Review what happened to Joseph and Ruth. What did the story of their lives look like when they were in the middle of it? What did it look like at the end? What would it mean for you to imagine God in the story of your life? How would that change your perspective on daily events? How might it affect the way you view and prepare for the future?

  • What did you learn about story as you read the chapter? From the two biblical stories? From the spiritual exercise? How can you begin to view your own story from this same redemptive perspective?

  • Romans 8:27-28

Resources from the History of the Church

Prayer to God the Father

I appeal to you, Lord, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob and Israel, you the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Infinitely merciful as you are, it is your will that we should learn to know you.  You made heaven and earth, you rule supreme over all that is.  You are the true, the only God; there is no other god above you.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, grant that all who read what I have written here may know you, because you alone are God; let them draw strength from you; keep them from all teaching that is heretical, irreligious or godless.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies

Prayer to the Paedagogus

Be kind, dear Teacher, to us your children.  You are our Father, Defender of Israel; God the Son and God the Father, united as one Lord.  Grant to us who obey your commands that we may become more perfectly like you, and know you to the utmost of our ability as a good God and a tolerant judge.  Keep us all in your peace, citizens of heaven, having sailed calmly over the stormy waters of sin, wafted smoothly along by the wind of your Holy Spirit, your Wisdom beyond words.  Night and day, until the last day; may we praise you with thanksgiving to the only Father and the Son, Son and Father; the Son, our Teacher, together with the Holy Spirit.  You are the one, in whom and for whom all things exist in unity, who has given us a share in eternal glory.  All things exist for the one God, who is all goodness, all loveliness, all wise and all just.  To God be glory, now and for ever and ever.  Amen. 

From The Tutor, Clement of Alexandria, 150-215

Hymns

The God of Abraham Praise

The God of Abraham praise, 
who reigns enthroned above; 
Ancient of Everlasting Days, 
and God of Love; 
Jehovah, great I AM! 
by earth and heaven confessed; 
I bow and bless the sacred name 
forever blest.

The great I AM has sworn; 
I on this oath depend. 
I shall, on eagle wings upborne, 
to heaven ascend.
I shall behold God's face; 
I shall God's power adore, 
and sing the wonders of God's grace 
forevermore.

The heavenly land I see, 
with peace and plenty blest; 
a land of sacred liberty, 
and endless rest.
There milk and honey flow, 
and oil and wine abound, 
and trees of life forever grow 
with mercy crowned.

The God who reigns on high 
the great archangels sing, 
and "Holy, holy, holy!" cry 
"Almighty King! 
Who was, and is, the same, 
and evermore shall be: 
Jehovah, Lord, the great I AM, 
we worship thee!"

Wrtten by Thomas Oliver, 1770
Based on the Yigdal, written by Daniel ben Judah, 1404

O God, Our Help in Ages Past

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home:

Under the shadow of your throne
Your saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is your arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood
Or Earth received her frame,
From everlasting you are God,
To endless years the same.

A thousand ages in your sight
Are like an evening gone,
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.

Like flow’ry fields the nations stand,
Pleased with the morning light;
The flow’rs beneath the mower’s hand
Lie with’ring ere ’tis night.

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be thou our guard while troubles last
And our eternal home.

The Psalms of David Imitated
Written by Isaac Watts, 1719

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go. Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. Refrain

O come, O Branch of Jesse's stem,
unto your own and rescue them!
From depths of hell your people save,
and give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain

O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death's abode. Refrain

O come, O Bright and Morning Star,
and bring us comfort from afar!
Dispel the shadows of the night
and turn our darkness into light. Refrain

O come, O King of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid all our sad divisions cease
and be yourself our King of Peace. Refrain

Translated by John Mason Neale, 1851
Based on the Benedictine Gregorian, 8 - 9th century