Book People

   Do you have a stack like this in your home? This is my "to be read" pile. Books that Kathy and I have purchased in the last 6 months or so that I have not yet gotten around to reading. Of course...I have been reading. You should see that stack of books I've read in this same amount of time. You see, my wife and I are book people. We love the written word.

   There's something about holding a book in your hand. Knowing that you are about to delve into another man's imagination, to a world that has been created by someone else. I love the anticipation of a new idea, the exploration of that idea, and knowledge that in the end (either at the end of the current book, or 15 books later at the end of the series) there will be a conclusion. I love to see a character grow from being simply a name on a page to a person whom I care about. I love a good story.

   Are you a book person? I'm currently reading "Inkspell" by Cornelia Funke. It's the second book in a series that is all about people who love literature, and the adventures they have when they find themselves inside of a story. A fun read, but it begs the question, Do you really want to live within someone else's story? Now, I've already mentioned how much I enjoy a good story. Case in point, I plan to read each and every one of the books in that picture. However, God has a story for me. He has anticipated the ideas, He knows the best way for me to explore them, and most importantly...He knows the conclusion. Since I've put my faith in Him, I've given Him control of the story. Now I play a secondary role, that of a follower. I might deviate from the path occasionally, but He waits for me to come back.

   Have you entrusted your story to the master architect, or are you still trying to write it yourself. A good story is one thing. I'll spend $5 bucks on a book if I think it will be good. But then there are the books that you simply can't wait for. You pre-order them and go to the store at midnight to pick them up. You stay up all night reading and love every minute of it. I think that's the difference between writing your own story and letting God write it for you. Your story is the $5 paperback you buy in the airport to pass the time. God's story is the classic that endures for ages and is read over and over for generations. That's the kind of story I want my life to be. How about you...C.S. Lewis said through Aslan in "The Horse and His Boy" that He tells you only your story, no one else's. Are you listening?