Chosen to Write

 

Do you ever feel inspired by God? Do you feel as though you can’t not write? Do you believe your writing is meant to encourage Christians in their faith, bring readers to the Lord, glorify God, and/or somehow have a godly influence on others?

Re-reading Isaiah this week brought to my attention chapter 61 as an excellent guideline for Christian poets and writers, especially those of us who aren’t sure what to write or where our writing lives are going.

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me for the LORD has anointed me: to bring good news to the humble, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to captives and freedom to prisoners,” Isaiah 61:1.

First, we’re given assurance of our calling. If we’re unsure of that anointing, we can ask the Lord right now to fill, guide, and empower us with His Holy Spirit.

“to bring good news to the humble….”

With God’s help, we have a sense of purpose as we reach out to readers, bringing Good News of the salvation offered to all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This might be a time to write our own testimony or give witness to someone we know whose life turned around once introduced to Christ. Studying the Gospels (good news) shows many examples of ways the Lord interacted with people who were open to His word.

“to heal the brokenhearted….”

Biblical comfort and healing words in our writings will surely soothe those who feel heartsick, broken, or wounded. The Psalms and other uplifting poetry in the Bible give excellent illustrations as poets express anguish, fear, or lament then end on a reminder of the Lord’s great love.

“to proclaim release to captives….”

Proclaiming God’s forgiveness of past mistakes and poor choices can help release readers who are about to give up or have already lost hope. The power of God’s forgiveness frees those who feel stuck in the past or imprisoned by guilt or negative thinking.

“freedom to prisoners….”

What other “prisons” do people find themselves in? Are they weighed down by debt, disappointment, addictions, problems in relationships, grief, or something else – something you can relate to or have personally experienced? As you consider your unique calling, ask God to guide your thoughts and inspire your words in Jesus’ Name.

 

Mary Sayler

 

 

 

Announcing Good New to All Nations

 

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to every creature,” Mark 16:15. Apparently, Saint Fracis of Assisi took that command to preach to birds, animals, and all creatures, who, as rumor has it, were on their best behavior when he spoke to them.

Most of us are more apt to announce the Gospel (Good News) to people of every nation – a calling no longer confined to the work of missionaries. Thanks to God and the Internet, our biblically-sound writings, devotions, sermons, and inspirational poems can reach each corner or curve of the earth. The Lord Himself, of course, led the way.

As Acts 2 tells us in the King James Version of the Bible:

2 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

³ And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

⁶ Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

⁷ And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

⁸ And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

⁹ Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

¹⁰ Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

¹¹ Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

 

 

from the FreeBibleImages website 

Because of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, people from all over the known world had gathered in Jerusalem, where the Holy Spirit fell upon them, thereby giving us the Christian celebration of Pentecost.

God knew that gathering would occur, making the perfect occasion to reverse the confused languages of Babel and giving everyone ear to hear in their own language! Since that made me curious about the location of the nations mentioned in Acts 2:9-11, a little online research produced this information found on the BibleHub website:

Acts 2:9

The Parthians, know for their power, lived in what is now known as northeastern Iran.

The Medies, an ancient people, lived in Media, part of today’s Iran.

The Elamites dwelled in the southwestern part of present-day Iran.

The people of Mesopotamia lived between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the area often known as the “cradle of civilization.”

Judea, a region of the Roman Empire, is in the Middle East.

Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia are in what is now known as Turkey.

Acts 2:10

Phrygia and Pamphylia, also in present-day Turkey, have been known for their diverse cultures, which helped to spread early Christianity.

Egypt has frequently held a prominent place in Bible history.

Libya in North Africa, includes Cyrene, the place which gave us Simon who carried the cross for Jesus,

Rome, at the time of Pentecost, was the heart of the Roman Empire.

Acts 2:11

Cretans lived on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea.

Arabs came from the Arabian Peninsula.

On this amazing day, people of all ages and ethnicity heard the Good News of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, ushering in diversity from the very beginning of Christianity. With each person hearing about Christ in their own language and frame of reference, the Bible sets a precedent for us to recall today as we become aware of peoples whose ways of worship show diversity too. May God continue to help us understand, love, and respect one another in Jesus’ Name.

 

Mary Harwell Sayler

 

 

 

 

Unexpected Joy

 

As Christian poets and writers, we have an endless source of ideas in our Judeo-Christian Bibles (aka OT and NT.) We’ve also encountered hard times and heard about those difficulties that happened to friends, family, or the day’s headlines. With God’s guidance, connecting those experiences with appropriate scripture can help our readers to know they’re not alone, and, more important, have the Lord on their side. The Psalms offer many examples of this, so let’s look some other numerous examples in the Bible:

 

In Lamentations 3, the prophet Jeremiah wrote about his misery. Here’s how the King James Version of the Bible presents those times:

1. I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His wrath.

2. He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

3. Surely against me is He turned; He turneth His hand against me all the day.

4. My flesh and my skin hath He made old; He hath broken my bones.

5. He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.

6. He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

7. He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: He hath made my chain heavy.

8. Also when I cry and shout, He shutteth out my prayer.

9. He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, He hath made my paths crooked.

10. He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.

11. He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: He hath made me desolate.

12. He hath bent His bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

13. He hath caused the arrows of His quiver to enter into my reins.

14. I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

15. He hath filled me with bitterness, He hath made me drunken with wormwood.

16. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, He hath covered me with ashes.

17. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.

18. And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:

That’s a lot of trials and tribulations!

At times, many of us have wondered if our prayers were being heard. I have, and after the deaths of close friends and family members, I’ve felt terribly sad and lonely. I suspect you, too, can identify with some of Jeremiah’s difficulties.

Occasionally known as the “weeping prophet,” Jeremiah lived over 500 years before Christ, and yet his faith in God sets a good example for us to end laments today in our contemporary writings.

 

Jeremiah's Hope

 

19. Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

20. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

21. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

22. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

23. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.24. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.

 

For other examples, fast forward to the New Testament: Everyone who was acquainted with Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, surely knew how much she wanted a child, but many, many years went by, and nothing happened. Her family likely shared her sorrow, but when they heard of the birth of John, all that immediately changed.

 

“Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown very great mercy, and they shared her joy,” Luke 1:58.

 

After the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, His disciples and other followers suffered profound grief, confusion, and disappointment. Then early Sunday morning, the women who had stayed by Him, went to the graveside, only to discover the tomb open and an Angel of the Lord in brilliant white clothing sitting on the huge stone.

 

“So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell Jesus’ disciples,” Matthew 28:8.

 

That Bible passage illustrates the ultimate joy through Jesus’ resurrection, but that joyful delight came after the saddest day ever experienced – even for God the Father.

With the Lord in our lives, our writings in every genre can express the joy of the Lord. Readers can relate and take hope as they learn of difficult times and see how God brought unexpected joy and good as only He can.

 

Mary Sayler