What is the story by which you are living your life? It might sound a weird question, but our lives are shaped at the core by some purpose or aim, whether you are a follower of Jesus or not.  

Shaped by a story

Alasdair MacIntyre, the famous philosopher who wrote After Virtue, talks about a shaping story, some kind of narrative that defines our purpose, influences our moral values and shapes our choices. It sounds very grand, but it is really rather simple. We make choices all the time (sometimes they are pragmatic, sometimes visionary) but in making those choices we live out of a narrative that we tell ourselves; that story is the purpose and the goal of our life, which we (often subconsciously) create for ourselves. In our secular western world, the dominant story is about freedom, success and desire. 

For Christians the shaping story of our lives should be the story of redemption found in Jesus ... but often it can be a mixed bag. In one sense you could define spiritual maturity (biblically) as living ever more aligned to that great story of purpose and destiny found in Jesus.

A story that depends on a promise

The story of the Bible is fundamentally a story of promise and fulfilment, the story of a broken world receiving a promise that God would not abandon it but wanted to rescue it. There are many ‘covenants’ (specific commitments between God and humanity) in the Bible – the Abrahamic, Mosaic and Davidic covenants, etc. But fundamentally they are one promise, a single intention manifested in multiple ways: God promises to bring his grace and healing into a broken world through Jesus and then through us as Jesus’ followers. 

There is an astonishing promise in the Bible, which unlocks all of scripture in profound ways… 

‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.' (2 Corinthians 1:20) 

Woah!

Just pause a minute and take in that scripture.  

All the promises are ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’ – they are agreed in the heavenly realms in Jesus Christ. So, when you read a promise in the Bible, consider how Jesus is the ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’ to that scripture. Consider how we, as followers of Jesus who are united to him now, can receive that promise and play our part in its fulfilment in this broken world.

A promise that is yours

Consider a promise like Isaiah 61, written to a people in exile but fulfilled by Jesus and the people he transforms (Luke 4):  

‘They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendour. 

They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.’ (Isaiah 61:3-4 NIVUK) 

That’s you! That’s the destiny and the story of the people who call themselves Jesus followers – it isn’t based on your performance but on Jesus’ grace. That scripture alone is one that can profoundly reshape your sense of destiny and give you hope of God’s work through you.

Yours – not in cupfuls but in a river 

Mike Treneer, former International President of the Navs, has a great illustration of how to handle the Bible’s promises. He describes how he used to approach these promises as if he were walking over to a river with a little cup, scooping a cupful of God’s promises and taking it back to his life – just enough of a promise for that day. But then he realised that God was asking him not to take his cup anymore, but to get into the river of God’s promises, to allow himself to be swept along in God’s purposes for our lives.

We can ask for more than a promise that’ll get us through the day; we can be swept into a current that reshapes our ordinary lives according to a purpose that reaches to the heavens. This is what the promises do – they bring a purpose and destiny into our relationships and lives.

We are no ordinary people when we are connected to the one in whom all the promises are ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’. Do you believe it?   

Join us at NavNetwork on Monday as we take a deeper dive into this most vital of subjects. Come and be deeply encouraged!