The meaning of our lesser tales

So I haven’t been wallowing by myself all weekend. On Friday night I had three friends over for dinner: one I have known for about twelve years and was once a flatmate in far North Queensland, another I have known for almost three months from my new church, and the other I met last Friday, only to discover that we actually went to high school together. She wasn’t a Christian in high school but has since become one, been to bible college and spent seven years on the mission field. Amazing story! I actually drove down King Street in her car the other night thinking, who would have thought, all those years ago, that this would be us one day. Then today I had a lovely lunch with the three-month friend :), during which I heard her story.

I like hearing people's stories. On my cork board I have pinned up a card that is covered with fragments and photos from women’s writers down through the ages (it’s a Koco card), and written across the bottom it says “just to believe in the story of one’s life. (just that)”. It’s just an arty kind of line on the card, but how I interpret it is more like this:

Everyone’s life is a story whose point is discovered only when that story is lifted up into the larger story of God ... the plot of our larger story, which gives meaning to our lesser tales, is made known only in the book God wrote. Life never reveals its meaning by itself ... Mystery points up to the sovereign wisdom of God who writes each of our stories so differently, but always with the intention of preparing us for our part in his story. The mystery of his plan, when seen as a reflection of inscrutable goodness, leaves us not only rejoicing with others more blessed, and confused by choices he never explains, but also awed by the love behind the plan that one day will have us all singing ...

Larry Crabb, God of My Father.

Basically, it’s just to believe in the Providence of God.

P.S. I know there is something wrong with my new photo above. I will have to try and scan it at a higher resolution and see if that helps.