Life after lockdown
For our light, momentary affliction is ever more
and more abundantly preparing and producing
and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory
[beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all
comparisons and all calculations, a vast and
transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease].
2 Cor.4:17 (AMPC)
For many the above verse has not felt lockdown a momentary affliction, but time now to believe of its passing. The is a picture of a broken vase, repaired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi. The process embraces the flaws and imperfections by restoring them with gold. This creates a stronger far more beautiful piece causing it to be worth more than its original value. And, of course that is what God does, He offers to take our physical, mental and physical weakness, and yoked to Him, His love binds, strengthens and restores us to find our value is in Him.
In this last year we have seen the depth of goodness within people, who have played such vital roles in the wellbeing of our nation. A time when I believe people have begun to question what is life about? Why are we here? The internet has given those people who wouldn’t have stepped inside a church the opportunity to experience the reality of the Lord. His Word has been like a seed deposited into lives, and has stirred up dormant understanding and response. If you haven’t heard Boris Johnson’s Easter Message tap these highlighted words.
Another blessing is the creativity people have found in the lives. Those who have never painted producing incredible pictures, people writing in various genres having never written before. And with Amazon publishing books with no charge to the author, there could be an outpouring of Christian literature in the days ahead! It’s been a time when in loving the Lord we have had time to deepen our relationship with Him. In spending time, or serving the Lord we gain understanding. Even our failures aren’t wasted, because everything prepares and leads us into His plans and purposes. Whatever we have been drawn to do, let us ask Him to guide us to those people who will, or need to read our poems, articles, blogs, books. Everyone knowing the Lord has a testimony of His goodness, so if nothing else please write and send yours to the Eternal Wall ofAnswered Prayer.
At
the ACW historical fiction day, someone commented that publishers were seeing cross-over
fiction (secular/religious) gaining popularity. Is it time for Christian novels
to rise up out of the forest of books? Millions
of people now use the internet. Many
years before ‘Kindle’ I unsuccessfully tried to sell my books electronically. When I published my first book, I discovered the
difficulties of advertising, distribution and storage! I consulted the Lord, He replied that books were
like the message in a bottle they would arrive and be read when people needed
them. God works in mysterious ways! We are called to portray His love using the gifts He has given us. He has begun to restore our nation, and is strengthening His people in the knowledge of Him, and we are the 'ready writers' to proclaim that news.
I love the concept of Kintsugi. So encouraging that God can use all our flaws and imperfections. And I also love your idea about the message in a bottle.
ReplyDeleteI love the message of hope this carries - that God will bring good out of this 'turbulent' time - amazing good for His kingdom! I remember someone saying to me once, when I was in a really difficult place, that we can imagine our trials as merely veils, that one day will be pushed aside to see the beauty beyond. Because that's how God sees them, and His word describes them as temporary, or momentary. Our trials are not impenetrable walls. It really helped me with my hope perspective! I also love the 'message in a bottle' idea!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of books being messages in bottles that are read when people need them. It's encouraging as it's not always about the immediate impact of our works, but the sporadic, almost stealth like way in which our writing can meet people's needs at the right point in time.
ReplyDeleteThis is really inspiring. Thank you so much too for sharing Boris' message. I hadn't heard it before and found it interesting and inspiring too.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased you enjoyed my piece this month. I have to tell you the 'message in the bottle' came from the Lord, not me. Several years after that I had a email from someone who wrote to tell me she was very tired and unable to put my first book down (Kindle version) she had been up most of the night to finish it. When she said she lived in Malta, I rather thought that confirmed the Lord's words to me. And somewhere in the archives of ACW blogs I shared that story and photographed my first book as if it were in the bottle! Faith is the key, writing a gift, and who knows how and where the Lord will use it. When we get to heaven I believing we shall be surprised how our lives have touch others without our knowing. These are interesting and exciting days.
ReplyDeleteA very inspiring post reminding us who directs our paths when we are obedient to our calling as writers, whatever that may mean. Thank you Ruth.
ReplyDeleteWe do still need to move very cautiously towards freedom - see today's news - they expect a '3rd wave' of the virus, so temper excitement with caution, though of course hope and inspiration are important.
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