Category Archives: Faith and Writing

The Message According to Luke

19 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by in Christmas, Faith and Writing

≈ Leave a comment

About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancé, who was pregnant.

While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

Writer’s Faith

05 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by in Faith and Writing

≈ Leave a comment

Here is an excerpt from my prayer book, 25th of November:

“You delight in creative work. You laid a foundation of creativity and You exercise Your creative genius daily at the intersections of the lives of men. So, why would You not partner with me in writing my book on Adam? It is obvious You would and do. Having You as my writing partner I can relax. I can trust that You understand fully not only the goal of my work, but that You have already imagined it, seen the final draft, and know the impact it will have. All I need to do is write.”

All I can do is write. No writer gets anywhere any other way. Beyond doing the work, writers trust the process of discovery. Some also trust the oversight, and occasional guidance of the muse. This is true of me too, except for the placement of my trust. I trust the creative process of writing, but the Author of that process – the creator of creativity is not an occasional visitor, not a ghost. He has the seat at the head of the table. He is the source. It is only by His creative energy that I re-create. In creating man He wired us to follow Him in this. He made us with the capacity and desire to paint, sculpt, and write. And He delights in guiding us in these as well.

Finger and Moon

11 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by in Faith and Writing, Quote and Comment

≈ Leave a comment

There is a Zen Buddhist proverb which I remember having seen a long time ago. Here is the way I remember it. “There is a finger pointing at the moon. Don’t mistake the finger for the moon.”

I write stories based on the Bible. I take scriptural narratives, or parts of them, from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and I work to creatively fill in the gaps and details that are not there. Over the last couple of weeks I have come to see in this proverb a direct application to my creative work.

I think there is a risk. A risk that what I write could be mistaken for the Moon – especially if I happen to turn out good writing with well-developed characters and a strong emotional core, ad majorem dei gloriam. Anytime a writer creatively explores the Word of God (and many, many have), there is a risk that instead of their craft reflecting scripture and pointing readers back to The Source, their work could come to be seen as something more than simply the work of a human mind. It could come to be seen as more gratifying or more true to experience than the Moon. The risk is real. Mankind has proven its ability to realize this risk. Worship of the creation instead of the Creator is as old as man himself. I’ll do the best work I can and I’ll mention the risk every once in a while. This is my plan for mitigation. dm