The Lower and Upper Story (Author, Randy Frazee)

Last updated on: October 5, 2011 at 5:00 am by Kurt Willems

The Lower and Upper Story (Author, Randy Frazee) 2011-10-04T17:13:32-07:00 Kurt Willems

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Two stories unfold with every story in the Bible – The Lower Story and the Upper Story.

The Lower Story is the one being written and told from a six-foot perspective – a horizontal and linear viewpoint.

The Upper Story is the one being written and told from above, from God’s perspective – a vertical, holistic viewpoint.

In the Lower Story we are dealing with things in the here and now – paying bills, dealing with conflict, getting over a cold, finding a job, winning a race, stubbing your toe and what you say after you stub your toe. The Lower Story is our Story.

In the Upper Story we discover what God is up to; how he is weaving our story into his one divine love story. The Upper Story is God’s Story.

Cain & Abel – In the Lower Story we learn about the dark side of untamed sibling rivalry. Cain takes the life of his brother Abel out of jealously for his brother’s success. In the Upper Story we learn that the sin nature that was injected into the life of Adam and Eve that got them booted from the garden is automatically and verifiably transmitted to their offspring. Adam’s choice becomes our choice. We have a big problem that needs a solution.

Noah – In the Lower Story we learn of a crazy man who hears from God and builds a boat in the middle of dry land. We learn of God’s regret that he made humans and his punishment upon them. In the Lower Story we learn about faith. In the Upper Story we see something different. God wants to get us back into the garden. Plan A is to start over with the best guy humans have and see if this doesn’t fix the problem. Not too long off the boat, Noah’s son willfully looks upon his naked, drunk and past out father in his tent. Plan A didn’t work. Noah was plagued with the sin nature. Time for Plan B. The solution to getting us back into a relationship with God will not come from us – not even the best of us – but from another.

Joseph – In the Lower Story we are introduced to a massively dysfunctional family. Joseph’s brothers, out of envy and disgust for their younger brother, sell him to a band of gypsy’s who in turn sell him as slave in Egypt. Twenty years later when Joseph is reunited to his brothers we learn of heartfelt forgiveness. How could Joseph forgive his brothers for what they did to him? Joseph caught a glimpse of God’s Upper Story. Joseph said to his brother (I paraphrase), “What you did to me in the Lower Story was evil, but God used it to accomplish his good Upper Story plan.” God put Joseph in a position of power in Egypt to save Israel from a devastating famine so they could continue their purpose of bringing to the world the one who would provide the solution back into a relationship with God – Jesus, born of the tribe of Judah.

Mary – In the Lower Story we have a scandal. A young woman engaged to be married, gets pregnant and her fiancé is not the father. In the Upper Story we have a solution to our scandal. The one providing the solution back into a relationship with God in the new garden will not come from the seed of Adam, but the seed of the Holy Spirit – without sin.

Every story in the Bible contains practical wisdom for us dwelling in the Lower Story. We should look and use these discoveries in our daily lives. At the same time, God is using every story in the Bible to tell his one Upper Story of how we can get back into garden with him forever. When you read the Bible, look for both storylines.

Oh, one more thing. God is doing the same in your life. He meets you in your Lower Story with practical help to get you through the day. But he is also telling his unfolding Upper Story through your life. Align your life to God’s Upper Story plan, like Joseph of the Old Testament and Mary of the New Testament did, and he promises that everything in your life will ultimately work for the good, as it did for them. (Romans 8:28)

Question: Have you seen glimpses of God’s Upper Story colliding with your Lower Story?

—————————————————————————–

Randy Frazee is the author of The Heart of the Story and the Senior Minister of the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas where we serves in partnership with his friend, Max Lucado. Randy has been married to his bride Rozanne for 30 years. They have four grown children and one really adorable granddaughter. For more information check out www.randyfrazee.com. Follow Randy on Twitter.

Guest Contributors

Max Lucado

Randy Frazee

The Heart of the Story

The Story

Previous Post

October 4, 2011

War No More! A call for peace: 10 years later

Next Post

October 6, 2011 Drive Thru Evangelism - The case of the old bait and switch

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category (Series) All Out War-Spiritual Warfare (Series) Church Plant Journal (Series) Dear Reader... (Series) Earthquakes...Signs of the Times? (Series) Entering the... Conversation (Series) Evangelical Culture Myths (Series) Everything is Meaningless [Pete Enns] (Series) Evolving Evangelicalism (Series) Hell Yes. Hell No! Who Cares? (Series) Hidden Worldviews (Series) If Evolution is Right, what about Adam? (Series) in less than 300 words (Series) Jesus and Nationalism (Series) Liberating Women for Ministry? (Series) Life-Changing Books (Series) Markers of Church Plant Movement (Series) Nonviolence 101 (Series) Philemon - Reconciliation (Series) Quote to Ponder (Series) Red Letter Dialogues (Series) Resource of the Week (SERIES) Revelation Sermons (Series) Share Something Sundays (Series) Simplicity in the Burbs: $2 a day (Series) The Binding of God [Open Theism] (Series) The Creed: Anabaptist Reflections (Series) Values for Church Leadership (Series) Video to Ponder Anabaptism Animal Advocacy Books Church Ministry Church Planting Community Culture Eschatology Eucharist Evangelical Reject Evolution Fundamentalism Greek Greg Boyd Guest Contributors Hell Holy Spirit Israel/Palestine Kingdom of God Lent Missional N. T. Wright Nationalism New Creation Nonviolence Open Mic Open Theism Parenting Passover Paul Philemon Podcast Politics Restorative Justice Revelation (the book of) Rob Bell Ron Martoia Sermon Shane Claiborne Social Justice Speaking Engagement Spiritual Warfare Spirituality Temple Theology Tim Geddert Tribulation Uncategorized universalism Video Blog Women in Ministry Worship Music Youth Ministry

Select a Month August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 October 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 December 2016 October 2016 August 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does the Bible warn about "idle chatter"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Is entertaining Is educational Leads to poverty Is holy

Support this
Column