Time is the Story

by Brooks Jackson

It's that time of year again! School is back in session, which also means I am back at it with graduate school classes (*written with sarcastic enthusiasm*)! In case you don't know, I am a student at Freed-Hardeman's Graduate School of Theology, where I am pursuing a master's in Pastoral Care and Counseling. Pastoral counseling is a unique form of psychotherapy that uses spiritual resources as well as psychological understanding for healing and growth.

As you can imagine, the Pastoral Care and Counseling master's has included a mixture of counseling classes and Bible classes. This semester, one of the three counseling classes I'm taking is called Life-Cycle Development; in this class, we're learning about the different stages of life (e.g birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, ect.) and how each phase of life brings unique challenges, opportunities, and psychological needs.

Our first class session for Life-Cycle Development was this past Monday night. During class, our professor showed us a video about an old documentary titled Seven Up! Seven Up! is a film that follows different individuals thoughout their lives every seven years, from age seven and onward. In the video, one phrase really stuck out to me that I thought carried significant spiritual undertones and application: "Time is the story. We are the characters."

The phrase "time is the story, and we are the characters" suggest that time is like a narrative unfolding, with each of us playing a unique role in that story. It highlights the idea that our lives are part of a larger, ongoing story where we are active participants, influencing the narrative through our actions, decisions, and interactions with others. What in the world does any of this have to do with our faith?

The idea that time is the story and we are the characters challenges us to live purposefully, recognizing that our faith calls us to actively participate in the sotry God is writing. This perspective encourages us to trust in God's guidance, seek to fulfill our God-gives roles, and understand that our lives have eternal significance within His greater narrative. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works" (Ephesians 2:10 ESV).

Football Time in Tennessee

It is crazy to think that it is almost football time in Tennessee. The Pro Football Hall of Fame game was the other day, and training camps are in full swing. I heard the high school had a scrimmage the other day. The University of Tennessee kicks off their season on August 31st. What I want to do in this article is take some football terminology and think about it biblically.

We all need to be cheerleaders and have cheerleaders in our lives. What I mean by that is that we all need to be encouraged and be encouragers. Hebrews 3:13

An interception is when the defense catches the ball intended for an offensive player. We need to intercept those who are on the devil’s side before it is too late. Galatians 6:1

You only have so much time in the game before it is over, so you have to have clock management. We only have so much time in this life, and we need to manage it for the glory of God. Ephesians 5:15-16

The offense only has four downs to get ten yards so they can keep the ball. The only way to get a touchdown is to advance the ball. We need to keep advancing (growing) in life. 2 Peter 3:18

A blitz is when the defense tries to send more players than the offense can block so they can get to the quarterback. The devil will try to blitz us. 1 Peter 5:8

The offense has two main ways of moving the ball: run or pass. We need to be passing our faith on to others. Matthew 28:19-20

Sometimes in the game someone will call a timeout to talk to the team or let them rest. We need a spiritual timeout from the world sometimes. Take time to study. Acts 17:11

The best way to score more points than your opponent is by scoring a touchdown. Some might refer to the end zone (where you score a touchdown) as the promised land. Our goal is the promised land, also. Revelation 21:1-7

Back to Bible School

It is hard to believe it is back to school time again. It seems like the kids just got out of school. It has been a busy summer with trips and activities which can sometimes knock us out of our routine. For those who like routines, they might look forward to this time of year to just get some normalcy into their lives. As we get the kids back into school, let me encourage you who might have been absent from Bible class to get back into it.

The Bible teaches us that we need to be workers who are not ashamed but who accurately handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Do not get me wrong, Bible class is not the only time we should study the Bible, but it is a great opportunity to study the Bible. One thing that makes Bible study so important is that we are studying God’s message to us. If you are in a class not teaching the Bible, find another one. God’s message to us is the most important study we can have because it gives us what we need (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Another important aspect to Bible class is the fellowship it can help foster. The time before or after class of talking, sharing, and encouraging can be priceless. In fact, fellowship is one of the things the early church dedicated itself to do (Acts 2:42). Trust can be built in these situations so that when we are going through something in life we can turn to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

I hope you see the value in Bible class. I hope that you will be there early to fellowship. Study the material that has been given or is being reviewed so that you can contribute to the class. Encourage your teacher if they are doing a good job. Teaching a Bible class can be tough. Pray for your class. Show others, including your kids, how important Bible class is by not just showing up at the building but being an active participant in class. Hope to see you in class soon.