Relationships and Storytelling

This whole process that Peter says we need to have to be "productive and useful in your knowlege of our Lord Jesus Christ", first starts with a faith that Jesus gives us. It's about getting to know Him better. The outflow of His power happens in that "knowing Jesus better" place. This is about relationship - not mere knowledge.

The empowerment that happens in relationship with Jesus opens our eyes to see his great and precious promises. I cannot stand on the outside of this relationship and try to understand those promises or the power that Jesus wants to pour into me. Later Peter describes that kind of vision as shortsighted.

Out of my relationship with Jesus (which produces faith), there will be levels of growth that will cause me to become productive and useful for Him. Now I really have always wanted to do that. Sometimes, I get ahead of the "relationship with Jesus part" and just jump to trying to become productive and useful for Him. I think my head is right on that desire, but my heart must take the time to know Him relationally more.

Sure I want more faith, a clear moral excellence, self-control, patient endurance, godliness and a true love for everyone! (I want it right now, in fact!) The challenge comes to see if I am willing to enter into that deeper relationship with Jesus whereby He teaches me at each of these points what is His heart and His way.

But how? It seems like those early Christians had Peter to remind them. In verses 12-15, Peter "nags" (almost) about reminding . . . keeping on reminding . . . make these things clear to you . . . and I want you to remember. I wonder if he scratched his beard and looked at them saying, I plan to keep on reminding you ... yes I believe that should keep reminding you . . .so I will work hard to make these things clear . . .I want you to remember them. Then he reminded them that he was an eyewitness to the power of Jesus. His faith didn't need clever stories. He had the real thing - the stories of the power of God. He was strengthened over the years by the demonstration of the power of Jesus Christ in his life. Even the giving of the Scriptures wasn't because someone wanted to have something of theirs read through the generations. The prophets didn't have that kind of heart. They wrote what God poured through them. Peter very clearly wants people to know that God's prophetic voice was at work.

At this point in my life, I am seeing that the older story tellers in my life are either too far away from me, or they aren't alive. I love to listen to the stories of God's mighty moves. I'm sure that people loved to hear those stories from Peter too. (I'm not sure if he'd weave movie clips into his dialogues if he were around today - he might - it could happen!) I am wondering if this is part of the unsettledness I am feeling these days. The stories of God's mighty power are becoming fewer to my ears. Oh, there's lots of things to read, but the thing that is missing is that relationship with the storyteller. I can almost get numb with the "wowzers" stories out there. I am hungry for relationships that are experiencing the move of God today in everyday living.

I am also wondering if it's my turn to be the storyteller. Ack! That feels huge to me. Peter explained that his experience of seeing the power of God caused a greater confidence to trust the Scriptures given by holy men of old. Could it be that there aren't enough storytellers of the power of God, so faith in the Scriptures are waning? The other night as I was thinking about having more input in the lives of younger people, I realized that I wanted to tell them about the power of God. I wanted to pray that the power of God would show up on them. I envisioned laughing together, playing together, praying together and telling stories together.

Peter was diligent to tell the stories. He had stories to tell. He had relationship both with Jesus and with those around him. That seems to be the key to storytelling . . . relationship.