the love story...

i'm always intrigued at how people read the history of this world. through text books or religious books, i always loves different views on the Story. there has to be a story. a way that it all played out. no one knows what literally happened unless they were there. even then, how does emotion and subjective interpretation play into all of it? did you ever watch witnesses on a stand? studies have shown how they are not even accurate b/c of the biases and velocity of the situations, ej. a bank robbery or crowd fight. so, really, can any one story or perception be completely trusted? what about 5 stories that coincide? or 50? or 100? what would it take to begin to turn the mind of the average onlooker to begin to speculate that a Story could actually be true? not to accept one story as completly accurate, but to begin to get glimpses of a bigger Story amidst the many little stories.

i was reading a fresh little story today by Calvin Miller, author of "A Requiem for Love." He is poetic in his version of telling stories. i love that. this particular part of the story gives an interpretation, an interaction, a make-believe 'maybe it could've happened this way' enchantment. and i love it. it plays out the story of when mankind, ergo man, was first created, and called Regis, meaning "Prince," and placed in Paradise.

p. 17

The naked Prince laid down in the grass
Soaking life from Terra's ochre soil.
"Son!" Earthmaker breated the gallant word,
Soft and often as the breeze that whispered oaks alive.
"Gift unto Myself-
The Prince of presence-
Lest I should ever be alone.
Now, Regis, image of My Being,
You are the Child to brighten My lonely house
And the glad resolution to My years inside Myself."

The new man listened, overcome by Presence.
To be given all the world at once,
Stopping his tongue and left his wit too dead for words.
Overwhelmed, he broke the awesome quiet.
"Father, I receive Your gift of being
But You have made me too rich
To name my wealth
And yet too poor
To give You anything of meaning
I love with only giftless love."

"Regis, there is no such thing as 'giftless' love.
The very words accuse each other.
My gift to you is love, but
Worship is your gift to Me.
And Oh, most glorious it is!
Worship always calls Me 'Father' and
Makes us both rich with a common joy.
Worship Me, for only this great gift
Can set you free from the killing love of self,
And prick your fear with valiant courage
To fly in hope through moments of despair.
Worship will remind you
That no man knows completeness in himself.
Worship will teach you to speak your name,
When you've forgotten who you are.
Worship is duty and privilege,
Debt and grand inheritance at once.
Worship, therefore
At those midnights when the stars hide.
Worship in the storms till love
Makes thunder whimper and grow quiet
And listen to your whispered hymns.
Worship and be free."

Taken from A Requiem for Love by Calvin Miller, (c) l989 by Calvin Miller,
Word Publishing, All Rights Reserved.