From The Chancellor: This is My Story

It is one of my favorite refrains of all time: "This is my story, this is my song—praising my Savior all the day long." I sing it with great joy as I remember that the story of my life is wrapped up in the bigger story of God's plan for humankind. It's easy to get so caught up in the details of living that we forget to see the grand scheme. Believers in Christ must have the summit in view as we hike along as faithful climbers. In his book God Came Near Max Lucado tells about a group of climbers who set out to scale a large mountain in Europe.

 "On clear days, a breathtaking peak of snowcapped rocks reigned as king on the horizon, inviting admiration and offering inspiration to the climbers. On days like this, the hikers made great progress. They climbed as one, all looking to the same summit. Yet, on some days, the peak was hidden from view. Then the climb became arduous. Eyes were cast downward, the goal forgotten."

I think we are like those hikers. When we see the big picture—God's story—nothing could keep us from moving toward the mountaintop. Such moments occur when we reflect on what God has done for us. They occur when we are in the Word and are reminded of His plan and promises. But take away the view and we simply become encumbered by the details of the journey. We can't see how the steps we are taking fit into the bigger story. A farmer I once knew phrased it this way: "When I'm plowing my garden I generally keep my head down and keep moving forward, but I must lift it up from time to time to remind me of where it tis that I'm a goin'." How true!

That's one reason why Christ's birth makes such a difference to us in our daily lives. Through Christ, God let us in on His plan for drawing the world to himself—the greatest story every told. When we accepted Christ's forgiveness, we made His story ours. It's God's way of causing us to lift our heads and remember that we're heading toward His summit.  We can cry with the psalmist, "I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD" (Ps. 121:1–2). That is indeed our story … and it's worth singing about.

About the Contributors

Charles R. Swindoll

Charles R. Swindoll has devoted his life to the accurate, practical teaching and application of God’s Word and His grace. A pastor at heart, Chuck has served as the founder and senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. His leadership as president and now Chancellor Emeritus of Dallas Theological Seminary has helped prepare and equip a new generation for ministry. Chuck and his wife Cynthia, have four grown children, ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.