Frequent readers of this eLetter will know that I love movies and serial television shows, especially ones that attempt to tell a grand story over a period of time. Some of them employ a literary technique called in medias res, which is Latin for “into the midst of affairs.” This refers to where the narrative starts in the middle of the story instead of its beginning. The characters, setting, and conflict are often introduced through a series of flashbacks or through characters relating past events to each other. So movies, TV shows and books that employ in medias res throw you, the viewer, in the middle of a story that’s already unfolding before you came along.
Often times you’re confused and bewildered, trying to figure out who’s who and what part they’re playing in all of this, all the while being challenged to keep up with what’s going on. Gradually through character conversations or flashbacks that you, as the viewer, are privy to, you get the general idea of how it all began and who the major players are for this particular story.
I couldn’t help but realize that’s exactly what’s going on with us. We were all born and are living in the middle of the story. The story began unspooling a long, long time before we even showed up. Once we came on the stage, we became busy trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Since God knew that we wouldn’t be present at the beginning, He gave us Jesus, the Bible and the prophets to explain what’s going on, and through it all we discovered how it all began. Thanks to the Bible, Jesus Christ and the revelations within, we know our place within the Great Story that God’s been telling from day one.
And now, we’re at the part of the story that’s closer to the end than it is to the beginning. Since we know this chapter is close to the end, it becomes even more imperative for us to go out and spread the Good Word to those who are still struggling to figure out what the plot is and who the important characters are.
The cool thing? While we may not have been there at the beginning when God spoke the world into existence, we will all be there at the end of this chapter and the beginning of the glorious new chapter. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
– Matt
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In Medias Res
August 20, 2009
Calvary
Comments Off on In Medias Res
Matt
Frequent readers of this eLetter will know that I love movies and serial television shows, especially ones that attempt to tell a grand story over a period of time. Some of them employ a literary technique called in medias res, which is Latin for “into the midst of affairs.” This refers to where the narrative starts in the middle of the story instead of its beginning. The characters, setting, and conflict are often introduced through a series of flashbacks or through characters relating past events to each other. So movies, TV shows and books that employ in medias res throw you, the viewer, in the middle of a story that’s already unfolding before you came along.
Often times you’re confused and bewildered, trying to figure out who’s who and what part they’re playing in all of this, all the while being challenged to keep up with what’s going on. Gradually through character conversations or flashbacks that you, as the viewer, are privy to, you get the general idea of how it all began and who the major players are for this particular story.
I couldn’t help but realize that’s exactly what’s going on with us. We were all born and are living in the middle of the story. The story began unspooling a long, long time before we even showed up. Once we came on the stage, we became busy trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Since God knew that we wouldn’t be present at the beginning, He gave us Jesus, the Bible and the prophets to explain what’s going on, and through it all we discovered how it all began. Thanks to the Bible, Jesus Christ and the revelations within, we know our place within the Great Story that God’s been telling from day one.
And now, we’re at the part of the story that’s closer to the end than it is to the beginning. Since we know this chapter is close to the end, it becomes even more imperative for us to go out and spread the Good Word to those who are still struggling to figure out what the plot is and who the important characters are.
The cool thing? While we may not have been there at the beginning when God spoke the world into existence, we will all be there at the end of this chapter and the beginning of the glorious new chapter. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
– Matt
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