"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Isaiah 44:22 |
I am a Christian, and I am an author; however, some may not consider my writing as Christian literature. And that is okay. It’s a little rough around the edges. It’s got some colorful language and broken characters (like us all.)
The storyteller I feel God has crafted and shaped me to be is an authentic one who gets down into the gutters of life with people and helps them crawl through the muck and maybe past a rat or two to strain towards the tiny sliver of light promising hope.
These characters and stories aren’t polished and clean. They might be offensive or vulgar or sinful to some, and I am okay with that. Because each of us has been offensive, vulgar, and sinful to others and to God at least once or a million times in our lives.
A deep calling I feel is to show characters that haven’t been cleaned up yet. They haven’t found church or God or hope yet. They’re still very much filling the empty places in their souls with everything the world has to offer, and that doesn’t scare me. In fact, I find great joy and excitement seeing what sort of adventures these characters partake in to fight for whatever will ultimately fill that emptiness, because I know the One who has filled that empty space in my own heart.
When I look at the ultimate Creator, I am reminded that he didn’t just create religious objects such as temples and commandments on tablets. He also created fish with vibrant scales, belly laughs at a friend’s joke, and the warm embrace of a spouse. The Bible isn’t polished or cleaned up either. It illustrates humanity’s brokenness, and that points to the need of a Savior to help put the pieces together.
When I am reminded of the expansive array of creativity the great Creator crafted, I am reminded of my favorite work of art from him.
The creation of redemption.
Taking the messy, offensive, and vulgar then turning it into something authentic, beautiful, and healing.
This is why I cherish and celebrate Easter, because this is the day God created the ultimate moment of redemption through Christ’s death on the cross.
For that I am forever grateful.
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