And Now…The Rest of the Story
By Jody Griffin
Avery and Mitchell Counties
“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” (John 21:25 KJV)
Paul Harvey was an American radio broadcast personality who was renowned for his infamous depictions of people and products that had humble beginnings which he would describe in captivating detail. Just as listeners were ready to move on from the harsh circumstances he spoke of, Mr. Harvey would allow a brief interruption of the broadcast to accommodate the show’s sponsors. Returning after the commercial break, he would draw the listener back in with the phrase, “And now…the Rest of the Story”. Often this portion would include a reversal of fortune for someone.
One of the more overlooked verses in the New Testament is this declaration found in the conclusion of the Gospel of John. It indicates that there is so much more to the story of Jesus Christ than what we have contained for us in the pages of the Bible. As a matter of fact, John claims that if we knew everything Jesus did before His crucifixion and His subsequent resurrection that there would be no way to contain the record of His marvelous deeds!
The significance of this Truth cannot be overstated. The very reason there are Professional Clinical Chaplains deployed by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and the Division of Prisons inside the institutions of incarceration is that fundamentally, no one’s story is completely written. Our task as Chaplains is to remind the incarcerated community that everyone can begin writing a new chapter of their story every day. Every. Single. Day.
This new chapter presents us with choices that affect the trajectory of our lives. And every day each of us has the opportunity to create a legacy to the One Who offered Himself as a sacrifice on a hill called Calvary. The choice He made to yield to the Father’s Will, means that the Works of Jesus keep on going as He demonstrates Grace and Love and Peace and Blessing to all willing to experience the unspeakable joy of a life lived in His Name!
The point is that our story is not completely written! Every day we can choose to live by faith that our story is a small part of His story! SO many books could be written, SO many lives touched and changed if we would simply see that there IS a Rest of the Story for all of us! No matter where we are on life’s journey, no matter what we have done in the past, no matter our personal weaknesses…the “Rest of the Story” of the Lord’s miraculous presence at work within us makes the future ripe with possibilities!
Paul Harvey died in February of 2009. But it seems that his contribution to the world is still inspiring others to this day. If we could find in this passage the motivation to start from where we are and work at making choices that reflect the Presence of the Lord within us, we can share in the humbling, joyful work of lifting others up! We can influence “The Rest of the Story” for someone else!
Commit yourself to see the possibilities for good in others. In doing so, you will secure a part in the greatest story ever told. Imagine the books that could be written to the Glory of God!
Thank you for your prayers and support of the Community Funded Chaplain at AMCI! You are helping affect the trajectory of the lives of so many! May God Bless You and may “The Rest of Your Story” be blessed by the incredible works of the Living God in Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.
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Jody Griffin is pastor of Central Baptist Church in Spruce Pine and Community Funded Chaplin at Avery-Mitchell Correctional Institution. If you would like more information contact him at joseph.griffin@ncdps.gov.
Read more good Christian news from Jody HERE.
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