THE WORD   ::   GOD as AUTHOR

I have to believe
that there is a Writer –
of me, of history, of every created thing.
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I have to believe
that what happens to me is not a matter of fate or mystery, but is known to the One who made me.
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I have to believe
that this story is not, in fact, about me.
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I have to believe
that Life is about more than living, surviving, dying.
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I have to believe
that there is a greater Story.
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I have to believe
there is an Author whose narrative is ever evolving, unfolding, and revealing of His creativity.
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I have to believe
that the Author was intentional in His design of humanity –
that He was not concerned with philosophy or morality in His writing of Good and Evil,
but that His heart was set on higher things.
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I have to believe
that He has a purpose and plan for the dance between the liminal:
Light and Dark,
Day and Night,
Pain and Joy,
Truth and Lie,
Wisdom and Folly,
Life and Death,
Love and Rejection.
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I have to believe
that He is the Word – 
that He speaks every created thing into being,
and that He can speak:
Healing to the broken
Hope to the disheartened
Love to the lonely
Peace into confusion
Grace into guilt
Vision to Division.
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I have to believe
that all the sides, types, tensions, and edges of this Story
were allowed so His Story could be one of Eternal Salvation.
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I have to believe
idiosyncrasies point to harmony,
brokenness points to redemption,
and sin points to our need for a Saviour.
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I have to believe
that paradox is an invitation to see differently,
and that our doctrinal beliefs cannot be based on assumption,
but sound judgement, discernment and tested faith. 
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I have to believe
that He did not create paradoxes for the purpose of division,
but so to magnify the beauty and place for union.

I have to believe
that we can learn something from our differences and disagreements,
in the gathering of two or more,
the connecting of dots,
and the communion of the body.
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I have to believe
in the power of the Spirit
in the heart of the believer;
and the power of union and intimacy
in the fellowship of believers.
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I have to believe
that there is a need for our stories to come together,
for Goodness to prevail,
for Light to shine.
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I have to believe
that our Author is a Good, Good Father,
who disciplines in love;
to prepare His children for the world,
who will not shield them from pain, suffering, and evil
but who will show them the darkness,
so they might see His invitation, His authorship
~ His authority ~
is to be taken seriously.
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I have to believe
that His invitation is one of intimacy
that He might be with us
as Counsellor and Friend
in the suffering.
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I have to believe
that the Author allows the bad in the Story
so that His goodness may be a golden thread of glory
in all and through all
that we may slowly see His glory
as mere image, reflection
in all His creation:
in the sun
in a song,
in a person,
in a psalm.
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I have to believe
that our Author wants us to be glorified with Him,
as He is glorified in Himself:
in the Son, the Spirit, the Father – three in one.
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I have to believe
that this
T R I U N E   x  T R U T H
will help us read between the lines of this Story.
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I have to believe
that this Story is one of Victory,
and that these edges, tensions, paradoxes, evils and sufferings
are evidence that:
the battle is still going,
the fight is still happening,
the climax is nearing,
b u t
we know the ending.
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I have to believe
this Story has many more characters than me
and that many of these characters
are yet to discover the Author of the Story.
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I have to believe
that every character has to choose
whether or not they will see His Glory in the Story.
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I have to believe
that the Author has a plan and purpose
for the revealing of Himself
that He is the Word
who is unchanging, constant, ever-present and unfailing
who Has spoken all we see into being
and who offers to speak:
Eternal Light into darkness,
and Eternal Life into death.
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I have to believe
that He has set eternity in the hearts of all men,
that all might understand Eternal Truths,
if they so choose.

I have to believe
that He is the Author of Revelation
who can:
give understanding
provide purpose
send hope;
and
give wisdom
provide peace
and send Love.
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I have to believe
that He is the Author of Love
bringing humanity into the intimacy of the trinity.
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I have to believe
that He is the Author of Light
who can overcome the darkness.
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I have to believe
that He chose to enter the darkness
so to offer His invitation to intimacy
that we may be Children of Light.
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I have to believe
that He wanted to be with us so much
and that He loved us so much
that He chose to come
I M M A N U E L
~ God with us ~
I N C A R N A T E
~ God as One of Us ~
so He might:
keep His promise,
fulfil His Word,
a n d
secure and seal
His invitation to intimacy
in the sending of His Son,
and the sending of His Spirit.
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y e s
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I have to believe
that He is not just WITH us, but IN us
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I have to believe
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I have to
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I was inspired to reflect on our Immanuel, Incarnate in the lead up to Christmas.
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I am not a fan of the commercialism of Christmas, so wanted to:
♥ remind myself of why God came as the Christ Child.
♥  remind myself (and maybe you) how He is with us and for us.
♥ remind myself of who He is.
♥ remind myself why we sing of Joy and Light and Gloria
… when all we see in our world is Pain and Suffering and Evil and Division and Confusion and Uncertainty and Deterioration and Destruction and Discrimination.
♥ remind myself of why Christmas is about a greater source of Light than what any tree or home strung by Christmas lights could offer.
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If you’re inspired to read some Christmas { C H R I S T  –  C E N T R E D }  truths, you can look here:
♥ John 1 – Light. Word. Dwelling. Became Flesh. Incarnate.
♥  1 Thessalonians 5 – Children of Light.
♥ Genesis 1 – God as Author. Speaker of Light.
♥ 1 John 1 – God is Light.
♥  Hebrews 12 – Jesus as Author and Perfector of Faith.
♥ Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1: 22-3 – Immanuel.
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♥ 1 John 4:2 ♥
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.
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