“A thousand channels, and nothing to watch.”
Like many people, I subscribe to several streaming services. The other night I scanned them all, looking for something to watch. There were numerous options, hundreds of potential movies and series. When something looked interesting, I read the description and lost interest. None of the stories captured my attention. I was looking for a better story than the one they told.
We are all looking for a better story. Not on television. In life. We all want to be part of a better story than the one we are in. That is what keeps us moving forward, keeps us getting up each day, sends us to work, and puts us in bed at night in the hope after a good night of sleep, we will rise once more and start it all over again.
The key to it all is our desires. They pull us into the future in the hope they will finally be lastingly satisfied. From the immediate desires of our body to the deeper longings of our soul and spirit, desire is the key to figuring out the meaning of life. Desire reminds us we were made FOR something. Our love of Story, of a good tale, helps us along the path of discovery to what that something is.
The Bible reveals the Great Story we are all in. It even explains why some don’t believe it. Like all great stories, there is a villain whose chief tactic is deceit. He wants to hijack The Story, turning people away from it and sending them off into an endless number of other tales by telling them they can write their own story and decide their own destiny.
God originally created us with desires of body, soul, and spirit that would lead us into an intimate love relationship with Him. The essence of our Story as human beings is, first, that relationship with God, then it overflows into our relationship with one another. That is why when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He replied, “Love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Being created in God’s image gives us the capacity to live The Story for which we were created.
When Satan hijacked The Story, he appealed to the desires God instilled in us meant to draw us into a relationship with Him. Through deceit, Satan told Adam and Eve they could define life on their own terms, without reference to God. They could be independent, the captain of their own ship; they could write their own story. And so, they bit. Ever since, their children have lived and died, forging their own stories by seeking to satisfy the desires of body, soul, and spirit by endless but ultimately unsatisfying means.
When we read a book or watch a movie, we evaluate it by how closely it mirrors our inner sense of self. We connect with tales that help make sense of the deep longing to make sense of it all; that give us a glimpse of the meaning of life. We love stories that help us sort out life’s big questions …
Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?
Someone, anyone; please help me figure out Who I Am!
The early church theologian Augustine said, “You have made us for Yourself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.”
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is The Better Story people search endlessly for. But once they find it, they enter it and begin to live The Story. That is when true life and living begins.
Lance is the founding and lead pastor of Calvary Chapel Oxnard where he has served since 1982. Lance & David Guzik co-pastored the church for six years before David planted a church in a nearby community.
Lance & his wife Lynn were married in 1980 and have three adult children and five grandchildren. Lance loves teaching the Bible, History, and Leadership. He holds Masters-of-Arts in Biblical Studies and Ministry.
Lance serves as a chaplain for both the Oxnard and Port Hueneme Police Departments and enjoys backpacking, wood-working, working out, gardening, home improvement projects, reading, and graphic design.
The popular Communio Sanctorum: History of the Christian Church podcast can be found in both audio and video at the Into His Image website along with a growing inventory of Lances teaching.
