In 2000, I watched this relatively obscure movie titled Memento. I recall not being able to stop thinking about it for several days. The movie is about the life of a man named Leonard who suffered an attack, which resulted in a form of amnesia where his brain cannot store short-term memories. Throughout the movie, Leonard has to create ways to piece the story of his life back together. He has to constantly remind himself of who he is, what he is doing, and who people around him are as he tries to make sense of things. Without a story to make sense of his life, he struggles to move forward, to find meaning, and is always at risk of inhabiting the wrong story.
To get on in life, Leonard takes polaroid pictures of nearly everything important as mementos (hence the name). As he would return home or to his car, the pictures served as a reminder of what’s going on, of people in his life, of what he's supposed to do, who he can trust, where home is. The pictures help him put together the right story to make sense of his life.
I continue to be struck by how true this move is. In a broken humanity, we're all suffering from amnesia about who we truly are and what our lives are for. There are competing storylines that make it confusing about who we are, what we're supposed to be about, why we're doing what we're doing. I'm not just talking about forgetting why you went into the grocery store. I'm talking about forgetting the good purposes God made us for, forgetting how we best flourish as humans made as God's image, forgetting the infinite for the finite and getting lost in the immediate. It’s easy to forget because we can be so sidetracked by alternative storylines.
I find it particularly interesting that one of the recurring themes in the story of Scripture is "remember." Often the remembering has to do with remembering stories of what God has done. It also means remembering the overarching story of God. By “story” I do not mean a chronological narration of events only, but how who God is makes sense of everything else. What we tell ourselves about who God is will determine what we tell ourselves about who we are, and what really matters. Being reminded of the true story helps us live more fully and truly -- in accord with what we were made for.
This is the objective of James Bryan Smith’s book we're reading together, The Magnificent Story.
We in our world are surrounded by stories that attempt to make sense of our lives, to give us purpose and meaning. But, Smith asks, what is the beautiful, good, or true story? Smith presses us to consider more seriously whether the story that drives our lives is the one that revolves around the reality of the Triune God who is made known to us in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He invites us to dismiss any story that does not capture us with a beauty that draws us more deeply into the mystery of God. He asks us to consider what story points us to goodness – the goodness of God who became like us so that we might become like him. What story reminds us of the inherent goodness for which we were made? Ultimately, what story grounds us in true reality. Not in ideas or theories about the world, but in the reality that all of life is a gift out of the overflow of the creative goodness and beauty of the fellowship and love of the Triune God.
Does the story you live out of fulfill these things?
There are many shallow, shrunken stories, even ones that have “Christian” or “Biblical” attached to them, that do not pass. Many of us have been influenced by these stories, and not the one magnificent story. So we need reminding.
In the spirit of this idea, let me take a moment or two to share a few mementos to remind us all of the beautiful, good, and true story:
Let's live in constant remembrance of the beautiful, good, and true story, friends. Let this story move sustain you in hope. Defiant hope.
In defiant hope.
Pastor Kyle
PS...get the book and read it with us. It will change you if you give it the time.
To get on in life, Leonard takes polaroid pictures of nearly everything important as mementos (hence the name). As he would return home or to his car, the pictures served as a reminder of what’s going on, of people in his life, of what he's supposed to do, who he can trust, where home is. The pictures help him put together the right story to make sense of his life.
I continue to be struck by how true this move is. In a broken humanity, we're all suffering from amnesia about who we truly are and what our lives are for. There are competing storylines that make it confusing about who we are, what we're supposed to be about, why we're doing what we're doing. I'm not just talking about forgetting why you went into the grocery store. I'm talking about forgetting the good purposes God made us for, forgetting how we best flourish as humans made as God's image, forgetting the infinite for the finite and getting lost in the immediate. It’s easy to forget because we can be so sidetracked by alternative storylines.
I find it particularly interesting that one of the recurring themes in the story of Scripture is "remember." Often the remembering has to do with remembering stories of what God has done. It also means remembering the overarching story of God. By “story” I do not mean a chronological narration of events only, but how who God is makes sense of everything else. What we tell ourselves about who God is will determine what we tell ourselves about who we are, and what really matters. Being reminded of the true story helps us live more fully and truly -- in accord with what we were made for.
This is the objective of James Bryan Smith’s book we're reading together, The Magnificent Story.
We in our world are surrounded by stories that attempt to make sense of our lives, to give us purpose and meaning. But, Smith asks, what is the beautiful, good, or true story? Smith presses us to consider more seriously whether the story that drives our lives is the one that revolves around the reality of the Triune God who is made known to us in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He invites us to dismiss any story that does not capture us with a beauty that draws us more deeply into the mystery of God. He asks us to consider what story points us to goodness – the goodness of God who became like us so that we might become like him. What story reminds us of the inherent goodness for which we were made? Ultimately, what story grounds us in true reality. Not in ideas or theories about the world, but in the reality that all of life is a gift out of the overflow of the creative goodness and beauty of the fellowship and love of the Triune God.
Does the story you live out of fulfill these things?
There are many shallow, shrunken stories, even ones that have “Christian” or “Biblical” attached to them, that do not pass. Many of us have been influenced by these stories, and not the one magnificent story. So we need reminding.
In the spirit of this idea, let me take a moment or two to share a few mementos to remind us all of the beautiful, good, and true story:
- This world prizes self-preservation. Keep to your tribe. Love and like the ones who have your back. Be suspect of everyone else. Serve your best interests only. Leave others to fend for themselves. Look out for #1. Fight back. This thinking has got humanity nowhere good. And it is not beautiful. We in this thinking are no different than the Romans and religious leaders who killed Jesus. Remember the way of Jesus, the way of beauty, goodness, and truth, is the way of love that gives, seeking others' good above our own, forgiving our enemies, turning the cheek rather than striking back. Being reviled rather than lashing back with harsh words. Remember First Corinthians 13. Remember Philippians 2. This storyline makes no sense to the world's thinking. But, then, the world's default thinking makes no sense to God.
- We are prone to thinking that we are "islands in the stream" (thanks Bee-Gees). We often live like we are alone in our experiences, that we must figure it out on our own. We don't need to depend on others. It might show weakness. Remember: God created us for community and for one another. We were made as the image of the Triune God who eternally exists in mutuality -- a community of interdependence and shared identity. Jesus did not bring forgiveness and salvation for our individual sins; he lived, died, and was raised to bring into existence a new community of salvation, where we share our lives as the Triune God does, where we turn our eyes outward to meet the needs of others. Lean into that. There's no shame or weakness in needing others. In fact, Paul says that this magnificent story asks us to embrace our weaknesses.
- Your life and the lives of the people you love around you are treacherously short and unpredictable. By default, we live as if the next day is certain. It is not. We are indoctrinated to live as if we are in control of our lives and destinies. We are not. Remember, says the Psalmist, that our lives are just a breath, a wisp. Each moment is a gift. When you're in the thick of a disagreement, holding a grudge, or feel that you've wronged someone, remember. When you begin to think that your work is driving your life, remember. These lives will not last. Don't waste the moments.
- You are not the princess or hero of your own life. We're tempted by our culture to think this, and it's enticing. But you will let yourself down. You are not made to sustain that identity. And it's ok. Remember: You can't sustain under the pressure to be your own hero or princess. And, actually, this is a good thing. There is one stronger than you who heals your brokenness and conquered death, and invites you to receive and be united to him, in suffering and resurrection. Relax and rely on his strength, not yours. You don't have to muster the strength to get through; it's not up to you to keep your image all together. God's strength is most present in our weakness. Let God be the hero, not you.
- God has not given up on you. There are times when you feel that your life is not worth noticing or you think that you are unimportant to God. Remember the woman who everyone else gave up on in the gospels. Jesus stopped for her and called her "daughter." He welcomed her and gave her new identity. Remember the Shepherds. They were in the darkness, overlooked, on the margins. God found them first to tell them the good news of Jesus, to give them hope beyond their circumstances.
- When life is crashing and you don't think you'll make it; when things seem bleak and dark all around; when the future seems uncertain...remember. Remember resurrection. Remember the creation story. Remember Joseph in Genesis. Remember the words of the prophets. Remember Jesus. God is always creating light from darkness, beauty from chaos, life out of death. When the story seems bleak, remember the story that is beautiful, good, and true. Let that story become yours.
Let's live in constant remembrance of the beautiful, good, and true story, friends. Let this story move sustain you in hope. Defiant hope.
In defiant hope.
Pastor Kyle
PS...get the book and read it with us. It will change you if you give it the time.
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