Some of you have already read the first one: The King's Castle. A most impressive thunderstorm was taking place outside as the scene came to me. The rain pounded on the roof, thunder crashed around me, but I was safe inside the house, which inspired me to write this:
Being a Christian is like watching an outrageous thunderstorm through a castle window. While enjoying the warmth and security of our relationship with the King, we are constantly watching the storm - not because we regret being in such a calm place, but because we are always ready to go outside and help those struggling in the surrounding chaos. Once they are able to see the castle we can help them throw away their flimsy umbrella and lead them to the only place of true peace and safety: The King's Castle.
After hearing what a blessing this story had been to a few people, I decided to post the other three here!
I have always been fascinated with lanterns - probably due to my slight obsession with Narnia -but also because they remind me of my favorite Bible verse. It talks about being lights in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, and thus "light" has become my favorite symbol for Christians. But who is the brightest light? That would be Jesus - which brings me to the next picture.
Jesus is like a beautiful lantern in the middle of a charred wasteland. No matter how black everything is - how dark, how wretched, how filthy - the Lantern always stays the same. It is pure, it is clean, it is welcoming. Even though the metal casing is simple, the Lantern shines with an eternal light that nothing can ever touch or break.
But only a few travelers stand beside it.
Because it is not the only light in the wreckage; there are other lamps, smaller more attractive ones that give off a sickly fluorescent glow. And due to the lamps overall physical appearance, easy accessibility, and proximity, most of the travelers cluster about them.
In doing so them miss the real Lantern, refusing to walk up the steeper path to the true light. Instead of enjoying a blazing flame they settle for a superficial gleam.
However, in the end all of the lamps will die out - all except the Lantern. It will shine forever, getting brighter and brighter until everyone knows where true light comes from.
It all comes down to this:
What lights your life? There's two more. The third continues to use light, but this time its in the cosmos. I love looking at the heavens on a moonless night, so when that picture came to mind a little story soon followed.
Sometimes life just looks like a starry sky - breathtaking and marvelous, but seemingly scattered and random. Events and people are tossed into one's life, handfuls of stars on a blank black background. Its confusingly beautiful, but when you look up its hard to see how they all connect.
And then there's God. Not only did He make the actual stars, but He created and ordained each person/situation sprinkled across your life sky.
But the best part is that He sees the constellations.
The pictures, the relationships, the significance within each shining image are known to God. Sometimes He reveals them to use so that we too can see the connections, something like the Big Dipper, or Orion's Belt. But other times we can't see the constellation. Maybe its not time yet, or maybe we're just not looking. Yet thankfully as Christians we can know that there is an order and a plan - even if its not visible quite yet. God made each star, He put them in place, and He loves the image it helps make.
And so we watch the night sky with wonder, awe, and reverence, waiting to see the constellations.
The last scene involves music, of course!
Imagine you are a musician and the greatest composer of all time has just written you a song. It is unique, beautiful, original, and solely for you. It's perfect. You take the freshly written sheet music from his hand, place them on the piano, and begin to play. The piece starts off easy enough so you perform it absolutely flawlessly. The notes, harmonies, and chords are marvelous; smiling, you turn the pages.
Then it gets hard. You continue playing but get frustrated and start to give up. Instead of playing what's written for you, music you know will sound wonderful, you start changing the piece. The themes and melodies are altered in order to maintain a skill level you are comfortable with. Wincing as you play, the composer keeps on watching.
The music is not difficult anymore so you continue, proud of your editing skills. However, it definitely does not sound as good. Even worse, the composer is standing right beside you, watching you alter the piece he wrote specifically for you. He is saddened and hurt; his feelings are obvious and you begin to feel uncomfortable.
The music stops.
You look at the composer whose song you have completely ruined. "I'm sorry," you say.
He is silent.
"It was too hard!" you blurt out. "How could you expect me to play that?"
He takes a breath and replies: "Because I'm here too."
Suddenly you're ashamed. Not once did you thank him for the piece or even acknowledge his presence. You played the music with pride from the beginning until the end, editing it when necessary without stopping to think of the effect it would have. Looking up, you watch the composer place the pages back in order, and realize he wants you to start over.
But why? Hasn't he had enough of me?
"Play it again," he says.
A second practice.
"Will you help me?" you ask.
"That's why I'm here."
So you finally say thank-you.
The composer smiles and you begin to play again. Its unbelievably better this time. He turns the pages for you, help you understand an master the hard passages and shows you how to perfect the simple sections. After playing through your piece and finally hearing its glorious finale, its soul-nourishing power, you realize what a fool you were to even think of changing the original song! But the composer seems to have forgotten your blunder, and encourages you to play it once more. Humbled and grateful you do and are swept away by the music.
At the end of the piece he says, "I have more songs for you."
You smile, because why would you play anything else?
This one is a bit deeper, but tries to explain a truth I firmly believe it. God is the composer, and I am the proud little musician. The best music, the richest experiences, and the most fulfilling life will only take place if I play what God has set before me. I can ask for His help when things get hard, He is standing right there. My own composition will never ever compare to what God has written for me - so I'd better just play His music!
And that's the end of these little stories for now!
A Castle,
A Lantern,
Stars, and
Music.
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