The Rest of the Story

"Having Our Perspective Enlarged". God gave me the acrostic for hope and hope continues for me in 2016. In shifting places where my feet can slip and my vision can be blurred, there hope has held me and stabilized my waters. The end of hope is always rest.

I recently received the greatest compliment by two people. I never would normally take this as such encouragement, but in it's context I found such rest. "You are so human" were the words. Really? Isn't that like, no big deal -- same as everyone else -- just the way I came -- no effort required? Wow! It hit me, no effort required. I don't have to work up, live up, or step up to be loved by God. Heb 4:1-11 talks about entering into His rest. Just walk right in. That takes obedience! He's done it all for me. What hope!

Sometimes a movie ends with more questions than answers. It leaves me thinking and analyzing for days after. I'm looking for the rest of the story - the what-if and how and why of it all. The subtle, underlying message or moral that is hidden beneath the surface. As much as I love a puzzle, may it be written, drawn or narrated, strain and stress spent on solving it can be exhausting.

I think of the food we eat and all of the processing and enhancing it takes to bring the flavor and aromas to our senses; to lure us to ingest that which otherwise would be unsavory. Behind all of these fillers and preservatives lie the nutrients. We didn't create them. They were put there for us. We need them to maintains proper function.

Every life has a story to tell. Mine is unique to all others, as is yours. The story is not yet finished. I won't be told how it will unfold but I am meant to find the rest that is available to make it worth telling. The purpose of God is there. I don't create it. I seek it.

In your story pursue and find the "rest" of the story. It will take you to His story. It will give you hope.