Only one story

How many Bible stories are there? We speak as if there are many Bible stories - a story about Jonah, story about Noah, story about Esther, etc.  Michelle Anthony, author of Spiritual Parenting, contends that it's only one big story. God is the hero; as we study different parts of the big story, we can learn more about Him. For example, instead of analyzing whether Gideon was right or wrong to ask for miraculous signs through the fleeces, what does God's response to Gideon teach us about His patience? Although the Bible is complete, God's story is still unfolding. You and I are a part of His big story. I want my children to understand that the world is not all about them but is all about God and our relationship with Him. As a parent and a Sunday School teacher, I want to stop referring to them as individual stories but rather as parts of one big story. I think it is an excellent way to shift our focus to the true central character of the story - God and God alone.