Every time they turned around, Jesus confounded the religious elite. They thought they knew how a man of God should act, especially with whom he should associate. It’s surprising how God shows up in the narratives of Scripture. In Katy Nichole and Big Daddy Weave’s song “God Is In This Story,” we are reminded that he also shows up in the broken stories, just like His Son.
Join me this week as we explore a large chunk of Genesis with our antenna up for how everything affects the story of Judah and Tamar. Spoiler alert: their stories directly affect our own.
In this week’s episode, I discuss the following:
- Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week’s Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
- Read in context
- Set a timer and read for a set period rather than a set number of verses or chapters
- Read and keep on reading
- Focus on a theme
- Use your imagination
- Consult an outside resource
- The book I’m writing and all that I’m learning about writing a good story
- God’s involvement in the details of our story, even when it doesn’t seem like it
- Interacting with the great ancient narratives of Scripture – Genesis 25-50
- Big Daddy Weave and Katy Nichole’s thoughts on the song – TheChristianBeat.org Article
- Judah and Tamar’s story – Genesis 38
- Understanding Judah’s backstory to put “flesh” on him in this story (back up to Genesis 25)
- Using our imagination to translate what we do know about Judah and Tamar and the culture into possible/probable feelings and brokenness
- A fly-over of Genesis 25 through our focus story in Genesis 38
- Accessing the imagination of Francine Rivers through her novella on Tamar found in her compilation book “A Lineage of Grace” – Amazon Paid Link
I want us to study a story found in Scripture that by all accounts you would say there’s NO WAY Jesus is in this story. This is a broken mess.
Enjoy the official music video below.
More Than a Song Playlist
Additional Resources
- Lyrics – NewReleaseToday.com
- The story behind the song “God Is In This Story” by Katy Nichole and Big Daddy Weave – NewReleaseToday.com Article by Kevin Davis
- “A Lineage of Grace: Biblical Stories of 5 Women in the Lineage of Jesus – Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, & Mary” by Francine Rivers – Amazon Paid Link
Weekly Challenge
Take on a good chunk of Genesis this week. Back up to Genesis 25 and read forward to the end. Read with your “Judah antenna” up. Consider how the details you are reading might weave their way into his thinking and actions. Challenge yourself to look at Tamar differently. Read with imagination and consider what elements were indeed in their lives yet not detailed in the Scripture account. Pray and ask God to reveal Himself to you through their story. Then ask God for the assurance that He is in your story, too.
