Letting God Write My Story

I never imagined that I would one day be the author of anything (well, except maybe disaster!) but God, in His goodness, has allowed me to write and publish four books to date. One is a work of poetry, but the other three are works of historical fiction, mainly dealing with some aspect of Baptist history. There's one thing I've learned about fiction: as the author, I have the final say. In events I deal with concrete facts that can not be altered, but in characters I have the license to decide personality, background, and the outcome of their "lives."

Recently I was looking through a notebook I'd written my notes in it for my last book. I, ever the obsessive organizer, had written pages and pages of research, historical information, and character details. I can be forgetful and writing down everything is helpful as I work on a book so that I can keep everything straight in my mind.

It can be difficult keeping everything together in my mind even with detailed notes. That's when it occurred to me: the Lord does this but on a much larger scale! Think of it; He deals with every single person ever born! He knows their names, their lives, even the number of hairs on their head! He knows if they are saved or lost, and He has a perfect plan for each and every person who yields to Him. According to the book of Revelation, He keeps good records! Unlike me, He never forgets anything in His omniscience, yet He still keeps a written record. I find that in itself interesting.

I find God referred to as an author at least three times in the Scripture:

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." I Corinthians 14:3 

"And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" Hebrews 5:9

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 

He's the author of peace, the author of eternal salvation, and the author of our faith. Another passage refers to Christians as His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). I once heard my pastor say that word ,"workmanship" has to do with the word "poem."  As one who enjoys writing poetry, that presents a beautiful picture to me. I believe in one sense, poetry is the art of words. One doesn't just put any word or phrase down, but rather thinks it through and gives attention to detail. 

So our Saviour does with us! Right down to the simplest things, the most minute details: the number of our hairs and the tears that we cry, He knows! Different personalities, different abilities, even different fingerprints! Every single part of us is the result of His handiwork.

It reminds me of the Hidden Treasure Principle. Hidden Treasure is a wonderful place; a Christian School that works with special needs children to help them reach their full potential. It was started when the founder's daughter was badly injured and required a different kind of education that other schools could not provide. Her father wanted her and others to have every chance to be everything God intended them to be.

I knew this. I live in the same town as the school and knew the story behind it. What I did not know was what they refer to as the "Hidden Treasure Principle." One day I was complaining about my inability to perform a certain task. The person I was speaking to shared with me a simple truth I've tried to remember ever since: God has given you everything you need in order to do His will for your life. 

Everything? My weaknesses? My flaws? Even those? Everything. 

Even a weakness can be given to God and turned around for His glory. For example, stuborness. That's more than a weakness, it's a sin, and in the flesh can cause problems. Yet given to God, and He can use that in a person to make them stand firm for truth. 

"What about my sinful past?" one might ask. Can even that be used of God? Oh yes! God is an expert at taking lives stained and scarred by sin and turning them into vessels of honor, and trophies of grace. 

Everything! God is the author, therefore He has a will for us. Psalm 37:23 says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Not suggested, but ordered. 

Do you know that in all the times I sat down to work on a book, never once did a character complain about what I had written? Never once did I hear, "Wait a minute! I wanted blond hair. I don't want to live there! Why did you make me part of this family? No, you can't do that. I'd rather live in another country. Why did you have to allow that to happen to me? Are you picking on me, or something?" Etc, etc, etc...

No, they never complained. I was the author and I had the final say. Guess what? Complain or not, bitter or accepting, mad or glad, GOD not I, has the final say in my life. He is the Author.  He never said I couldn't question (if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God) but He also never promised an answer. He answered Job, but He didn't have to. At times He has answered me, but He's not obligated. 

I mentioned stubbornness earlier...because I know a little something about that! I look back over my life and how at times I've thought I knew best. "Why can't I have this strength, why this weakness? Why did you make me deal with this situation? Why do I have to bare this burden? It would be better if..." 

Oh my! Sometimes I laugh, sometimes cry, and often regret all those moments. I serve a patient God. Even His chastening was never to crush me, but draw me back in love. 

He hasn't always given answers to my questions, but He has at times allowed me to see that if He had allowed me to have my way, my life might be very different (and not in good ways!). Sometimes I looked at broken pieces with a question in my heart, only to later realize He allowed it so I might one day help or at least empathize with someone else. And sometimes it was so I could be helped by someone else. 

For all the hard things there have also been the blessings. He has blessed me in ways I never could have planned or dreamed on my own! He has done marvelous things and I must stand back in amazement. 

He's also not finished with me. How many days or years are left to my life? Only He knows. I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know the One that holds it. Trial or blessing, my steps are ordered by the Author who makes no mistakes. 

Slowly, oh so slowly, I am learning that He really does a better job than I! In my flesh, I might still complain or worry, but I can rest knowing the end result of a circumstance is in His hands and He knows what He's doing. 

I encourage you to let God write the story of your life. He makes no mistakes. What He does is done well. He can restore, He can bless, He can comfort, He can do anything. If you are a Christian then you are His workmanship, and He gives attention to every detail of your life. Truly, He knows what He is doing. And one day, when we stand before Him, if we have allowed Him to have His way with us, we will be glad we did.

 

 

Green Leaves in the Drought

I am constantly reading something. Often, I am reading multiple books on multiple things at the same time.  Right now I am in the midst of a book by Elisabeth Elliot on grief, a book about Hillary Clinton's rise to power (which serves to raise my blood pressure!), a cook book (yes, I'm a strange one, but I love finding older cookbooks at Goodwill and reading through them.), and yesterday I started one by Isobel Kuhn about her family's struggle to escape China's Communism (they were missionaries with China Inland Mission).

I am only a short way into this book, but she talks of the joy they all felt when the very last of their board's missionaries were safely out of the country. Some of them had been held prisoner for a time before their release, and she recounts that during a prayer meeting for them, one of the missionary's wives prayed that God would keep their leaves green in the drought time.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3

In the Scripture I read that the Godly man's leaf shall not whither. Why? Because he is like a tree planted by the rivers of water! He has a constant spring to draw strength from! That dear woman knew this, and prayed they would be sustained by the One who is able to minister to our hearts even in times of drought. The Godly man is able to be this way because he meditates in God's Word day and night. It is nourishment to a thirsty or hungry soul!

To me that is a beautiful thought. Though we are not held captive in a communist and war torn land (that may not always be the case for us!) we are in a daily spiritual battle. There are times when we go through a dry spell. There are times we are not only in a drought, but possibly even in a desert place.

I don't know about you, but there are days when I am absolutely overwhelmed! The cares of this life press in, the burdens I'm under get to be so heavy, and some days I just don't want to even try to smile and say, "I'm fine," when really I feel like I'm going to break into a million pieces!

I know, I know! I'd like to tell you I never feel that way. I'd like to tell you life is always sunshine and flowers...but you wouldn't believe me, and rightfully so! Because if you're honest with yourself, you have to admit occasionally you feel that way too.

If we're honest, if we're REAL with one another, we must admit we all fight similar battles. The Bible tells us we will, and warns us to get our armor on and stand ready to fight and endure hardness.

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (II Timothy 2:3)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;  (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Yes, we're in a battle; a daily, sometimes grueling battle. My trouble is I often forget that I am, in fact, in a battle. Sometimes the battle is hot, and we know without a doubt we're fighting, but there are times when the devil's darts are a little less obvious to our eyes. They are darts of discouragement or complacency. If we don't have our armor on and if we aren't prayerfully watching with eyes of discernment, we are apt to be wounded along the way.

The answer for the drought and the answer for the battle are found in these verses. First of all, I must meditate daily in God's Word. That is my main source of strength. If I soak in the Scriptures then the drought won't affect me. My leaves will be green when everything around me is dried up and dead.

Secondly, I need to get my armor on...daily! No good soldier goes to battle without his equipment! It would be foolish for him to show up without his weapons, ammunition, body armor, and methods of communication. (not to mention provisions and first aide!) His Commanding Officer would have something to say about that! So it is with us! We can not show up for the battle without our armor and hope to be successful!

The year that I spent researching the Soviet Union and Communism allowed me to see some truly exemplary Christians. They had endured the absolute worst. Yet they still praised and glorified God! Some of them even testified that after being in solitary confinement for months or years, that they were willing to go back because God was more real to them there than in freedom. Can you imagine?!

But you see, they knew a secret the Communists refused to see! They knew their source of strength was in seeking and communing with God!

Isobel Kuhn mentioned that the letters of Christians in captivity compared with POW's who did not know God were like night and day! Whereas those who were without Christ cursed their captors, those who knew the Lord were full of praise to God!

I remember reading in several places the account of Baptist historian Isaac Backus's mother being put in jail during the colonial times because she refused to submit to the standing order church (which was the government then). She wrote a letter to her son, and in it she was cheerful, even calling her pathetic prison conditions a palace.

Natasha Vins, daughter of the Baptist pastor Georgi Vins, stood on top of her chair right after her father was sentenced to ten years in prison and yelled above the KGB officers mocking her father, "With Christ you are free in prison!"

The difference between people like this, and those without God in captivity is simple: they knew the truth of God's Word and the joy of His presence.

Isaac Backus's mother and Natasha Vins' father knew how to have green leaves in the drought. There is much we could learn from people like that. There is much we can learn from the Blessed Book that will be our sustenance, even in the drought, even in the desert, even in the battle, and even in prison.