The Greatest Love Story Ever Told
Yesterday, my parents invited my children and me to spend the day at Sandy Point, a small beach about 40 minutes away. We jumped at the chance to put our bathing suits on and to lay aside our worries for the day.
While driving over a huge bridge, my father gazed out at the water and commented, “Perhaps if things had been different, I would have bought a house here by the water… instead I decided to move to Silver Spring.”
“Well, I’m glad you didn’t buy a house on the water – because then you wouldn’t have had me!” I retorted with a smile.
But, it got me thinking… all of the choices that had led up to that one, peaceful, perfect moment.
My father chose to start a business in the city instead of buying a home on the water which was his dream.
Then one day, he chose to go out to dinner with some friends where he happened to meet a beautiful platinum blonde who would one day become my mother.
But before their love story would begin, my father made millions of choices that led him to that providential moment where he would meet the love of his life, and she too made millions of choices that led her to meet him.
And those choices – including love stories and heartbreaks with other people – would ultimately lead to me.
I began to think even further back… in order for my parents’ love story to be possible, that meant that each of their parents’ love stories had to be possible. And for my grandparents’ love stories to be possible, then my great-grandparents’ love stories had to be possible.
And so on… and so on… and so on… back to the very first love story. No, not Adam and Eve. I’m talking about Adam and God.
It was out of love, that God created Adam in the Garden of Eden. God did not need Adam, but He delighted in created man in His image.
God, who is Love, set the whole world in motion. He set the stage for love story after love story after love story all throughout history.
I began to feel overwhelmed as I pondered the immensity of it all, and then my father reached out gently to hold my hand.
I took a deep breath, wishing to hold on to that sweet moment.
I know that not all of my ancestors were born in love. I’m sure that somewhere along the line, there was probably abuse, rape, heartbreak, misery, divorce, frustration and more.
However, the story of “you” and the story of “me” started with the greatest love story ever told.
And the story of “you” and the story of “me” has only been made possible because an infinite number of love stories have transpired throughout the ages to bring us to this exact moment in time.
So while it may feel as though there is chaos all around us, I pray that we can each find a peace within us because we each hold a piece of all of those who have come before us, men and women who have loved and fought and won and overcome so many obstacles in order for us to be alive today.
So take a deep breath.
Savor this moment.
You are in the exact place that God has ordained for you today.
He created you with a plan and a purpose.
You have a bright future ahead and a long line of love behind.
Our God is still writing the greatest love story ever told… and YOU are in the heart of it right. this. second.