“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”
I was deeply engrossed in the story . . .
What a horrible way to die. The man was showing no mercy. She felt as if she had been held under for five minutes, even though she knew that that was impossible. Finally, he pulled her face from the water. Claudia breathed as deeply as she could and then began coughing and sputtering.
I thought she was a goner. Caught off guard by her attacker, Claudia had minutes if not seconds to live. Her assailant was enraged. She was vulnerable. Claudia was sly, but his strength was overpowering. From my angle, every exit was blocked, every point of rescue was exhausted, every hope was extinguished.
But I'm not the author.
The author -- Brad Thor -- saw what I did not. In less than a page he put an idea in her head, an improvised weapon in her hand, breath in her lungs, and hope in her heart.
It is amazing what an author can do. This author was NY Times best-selling writer Brad Thor. While it appeared that Claudia, his protagonist, would disappear from the cast of living, Mr. Thor had a different plan.
Sometimes God works that way.
At times my life is in disarray. While I may not be experiencing "life's end" as Claudia did, I most certainly share her sense of being at wits end. At these times, as in all times, God wants me to keep my eyes fixed on the Author:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith ... ”
Those words that came to mind as I read Thor's story. Since Jesus writes the story, there is not a jam I'm in that he cannot "write me out."
Simple lesson, powerful truth!
Wait a minute! If he is the Author, can he not write my rescue for every difficult day? Of course he can. Does he? Obviously not.
The fact that God can rescue -- and at times does not -- leaves me an unhappy reader some days. But a sad chapter does not make him any less God. God is writing HIS-STORY. Jesus is the Hero, not me. While my part may seem "insignificant" it is not inconsequential. Jesus is still authoring my faith. In fact, his attention to detail is astounding (Luke 12:7; Acts 17:25-26).
When facing the seeming inequities of life, I must remember that Jesus is the Author of my faith. He is writing the story. He can walk me through valleys or he can take me to mountaintops. He can give me a lead role or he can put me to work backstage. He can make me strong or weak. He can give me a cameo appearance or write me in page after page. He can rescue me from difficulty or allow me to discover his strength anew.
I may not like the scene today. I may not enjoy my role today. But I can trust the Author. He is the finisher of my faith too! He has already written the final chapter. I will live happily ever after.
Run with perseverance today. Keep your eyes on the Author.
___________
Notes:
- What a horrible way to die ... from Brad Thor, The Lions of Lucerne. Pocket Books. 2010. Page 449.
- For more on my reading click here to read "A Different Kind Of Toolbox."