WATCHWORD
O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee 1 Chronicles 29:18
At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. Jeremiah 3:17
He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. Luke 1:51
Meditation:
What If…
Have you read anything by Charles Martin? Martin is an author of Christian fiction and nonfiction, devotionals and engaging storylines. One of his books that I have truly enjoyed is entitled What If It’s True? He makes a persuasive argument that God meant what he said when he said some of the things that may cause us to question.
The whole process of writing story is often based on what if… as a device that authors use to put together interesting and creative stories. I believe we have all played a game of what if… as we have grown up, and we continue to play it. You know, we fantasize, what if… there are no taxes to be paid. What if… pigs can actually fly? What if… dinosaurs returned and they were as friendly as golden retrievers and they know how to fetch all the good stuff. Sorry, childish.
Or perhaps this, what if… the Israelites obeyed all of God’s commandments and didn’t have to wonder for 40 years, but had gone straight to the promise land in about nine months? How would that have changed things? Or even earlier, what if… Adam had said to Eve, “You ate What? I’m telling Father.”
How about this, what if… Noah had been more discriminating and did not allow pairs of mosquitoes on board? Or deadly snakes, or ill-tempered relatives?
What if… is a game and there are times and places for it to be played that pass the time and entertain. But at some point, in time, reality has to step in. Reality has this uncomfortable way of bringing us back to where we are and what is happening to us. Pigs can’t fly, taxes are coming due, dinosaurs only return in the movies. The promised land was earned, after the sinning generation had died off in 40 years. Noah did not discriminate. We have to deal with reality.
I don’t think God wants us to live in what if… or fantasy land, lost among our imaginings. Escapes from reality are just brief vacations and, maybe, they recharge us, give us energy to follow His will, if that is our commitment. But I don’t believe He wants us to live there.
Confession: “What if…” is a writer’s device in the creation of story. When my friend Mac McKinley writes stories for children, he starts with the what If…and ends with a moral. My book, A Life for Barabbas, is historic fiction. The historic part is where reality fits in, where research led me to facts about first century Jerusalem and what actually happened with the disciples. The fiction, or the what if… part, was to imagine how this man, Barabbas, might have behaved as a result of being touched by the crucified Jesus.
I don’t agree entirely with author Flannery O’Connor, who wrote that “Writing a novel is a terrible experience, during which the hair often falls out and the teeth decay. I’m always irritated by people who imply that writing fiction is an escape from reality…”
For me, writing is creative. Those who see me from afar, it may seem like I’ve become a recluse, and escaped from reality, but writing is akin to my morning devotional times. Often the two are wedded together. This is when the light of God seeps through my “cracks” and becomes inspiration. The what if…s, often filter in with that light, and story-lines are born. Does that make sense? For me, writing is not an escape from reality, it is a deeper dive into reality.
Where does What if… fit into your relationship with the Lord? Don’t think “what if it’s true?”, instead acknowledge the source, the Creative God that put each piece in place, including you and me. Amen.
Closing Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives, thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over us. Thank you that you are able to bring hope through even the toughest of times, strengthening us for your purposes. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you that you are always with us and will never leave us. Thank you for your incredible sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life. Forgive us for when we don’t thank you enough, for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you’ve given. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy. We love you and we need you, this day and every day. We give you praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
