Our Part in This Tale

Yesterday, I was watching The Lord of the Rings, (yes, again!) and as Frodo was narrating, he said something that slapped me right upside the head.  “Bilbo once told me his part in this tale would end…”  Now, there are many statements in these movies that I find extremely profound, but this one had never really caught my attention before, until yesterday.  I skipped back to hear it again, “…his part in this tale would end…” 

You see, there is a great tale that has been unfolding since before the beginning of time.  And it has included every element that makes a great story: good vs. evil, romance, betrayal, wars, friendships, chivalry, deception, unlikely heroes, adventure, danger, hopelessness, sacrifice, deliverance, redemption, magic. It truly is amazing.  But here’s the coolest part: the Author saw fit to write you and me into that tale.  Not as casual observers, but with crucial roles to play.  I am not sure why He chose this place in the story to drop us into the saga, but here we are.  Some of you got here before me, others after, but we are all here right now, and thus the Author has a purpose behind it.

But this is what really got to me yesterday: our part in this tale will end.  My part will end. And here is the crazy part:  I know when it began-February 28^th, 1977.  And I know that I am still in the tale for now, but I have no idea whatsoever when my part in this tale will end.  It could be this week, or maybe next year.  Possibly, and hopefully, 60 years from now.  But it will end.  After all, our lives are but a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.  This isn’t meant to be morbid, but is meant to be sobering.

God has placed each of us here for only a short time to do whatever it is He wants us to do.  Do we spend our days in hot pursuit of doing it?  Or have we allowed the cares of this world to distract our attentions?  Work, comfort, pleasures, fear, entertainment, security…you name it, and it has tripped up many a warrior who at one time set out to conquer this world for our great King.  And they come to the end of their part of the story, and frankly, there isn’t much to tell.  Their story is a tragedy.

But there are others, I am glad to say, who have discovered their purpose, have set their eyes on the prize, have drawn their swords, and are in hot pursuit of making sure that their time here is not wasted.  They are the modern day heroes in this story.  They are the ones who will have some great stories to tell after all the battles have been won and our foe meets his final doom.  They are the ones who will hear “Well Done, good and faithful servant.”

I really don’t know what makes the difference between the two groups.  Perhaps to the former, the spiritual realm seems more like a fairytale than reality.  Or maybe they haven’t seen themselves as significant players in this epic adventure.  In either case, they have failed to grab hold to the truth of what God’s Word says about this story and about them as characters in it.  Oh, that their eyes would be opened.

I desire to put my lot in with the latter group, those who live in a greater reality than what can be unveiled by the five senses.  Those who want to live for something eternal, who want their lives to count for something big.  Those who understand that their part in this tale will end, and they live to make sure that when it is all said and done, their part in the story is worth hearing about.