Skip to main content

There Are Stories That Are Stories, And There Are Stories That Are True.

We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.  (II Peter 1:16-18)   
        
            I'm listening to the Iliad. I can't begin to tell you how many of the characters announce that they are the son or grandson of some god. I seriously think that the author must have spent months trying to come up with new ways for people to die from wounds inflicted by a spear, arrow or sword. Then there are the gods, whose interactions make Survivor and soap operas look tame, who interfere on one side or the other, often appearing in the likeness of another person, and more often than not being discovered in their deception. Oh, and let us not forget the pre-battle trash talk and dying proclamations. As numerous as the stars in the heavens which rise each night and, having toured the heavens, descend again beyond the western horizon, just so were the words of the soldiers as, in agony,  they gasped out their last breaths.  
           In comparison, how simple Peter's telling of the story of one of the greatest moments in human history is. This telling of it is really a summary and it shows Peter in a comparatively favorable light. Other versions show James, John and Peter to be less than stellar disciples, and Peter even gets reprimanded by God, the Father. Peter's story lacks the grandness of a story. It reads like an ordinary, real life that includes extraordinary events.
         I love stories, but I'm beginning to understand that as fun as stories like the Iliad are, most of the time they don't change lives for the better. The story that Peter told, in its simplicity and truth, can.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The List

              Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)           Think about it. We have been justified. At least, we could be justified if we stopped insisting that our justification be based on our merits. We have peace with God, or could have peace if we stopped throwing temper tantrums. We have gained access into grace i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Listen!

  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5)            Do you like roller coasters? I don't. You spend forever climbing a hill. You get to the top and have half a second, then you race down to a low point. Sometimes the racing down involves tying your insides into knots. At the bottom, you either have to be dragged up another hill or you get off the ride. Peter's life was a roller coaster from the time he met Jesus. There would be miracles, and then Jesus would teach things that didn't always make sense, and then they'd go out and perform miracles, and return to be taught. Peter was praised for giving the right answer to "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus said that said answer came from God. Peter was at the top of the hill.            ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prayer Lists

                 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (I Peter 2:2-3)   In connection with what I wrote yesterday about the possibility that I’m wrong, I’m feeling the need to go back to basics - craving spiritual milk because somehow, I missed something. It’s a little embarrassing, craving milk like a newborn, but the truth probably is that we are newborns many times in many ways in our lives. From God’s perspective, we may never be anything more than newborns, forever needing that milk. On the other hand, being a newborn can also be exciting because so much is new. My mind is playing pinball - ricocheting from one idea to the next and through six more before it happens to hit the third again. The main topic is prayer. I have at least seven organizing structures all somewhat influenced by the movie War Room , which I’v...
Post a Comment
Read more