God spoke
the world into being. That’s such an amazing truth! With words, God created the
world and He saw that it was all good. And when I see it I, too, think it’s wonderful
and I give thanks for it. Creation has the power to inspire, to lift one’s
spirits, to draw one to God.
However, a
couple of days later we drove into Christchurch and saw the devastation done by
the earthquake in 2011. Having been to Christchurch a few years before that and
seen what a beautiful city it was, I could hardly believe my eyes. The
landscape, once gardened, picturesque and elegant, the buildings, including this once beautiful cathedral, were completely ravaged, not to mention the terrible loss of life
and livelihoods. And so I was reminded that the same creation which God spoke
into being and saw as good, has become flawed and broken. Now creation has the power
to destroy, tear down, devastate. When we see first-hand or on TV what havoc
can be wreaked by earthquakes, cyclones, tsunamis, tornedos and volcanoes, we
see how all the earth is groaning and suffering, waiting for God to liberate it
from the sin that also has mankind in bondage.
Just as sobering
is the thought that God made us in His image and the power of our words is also
an awesome thing. James reminds us that because we are also flawed and broken,
now even our tongue, though a tiny part of our bodies, has such potential for
harm. Consider what a great forest is set
on fire by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the
parts of the body. … With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it
we curse men who have been made in God’s likeness. (James 3).
So like
creation, our words have the power to lift the spirits of others, to encourage,
inspire, to draw others to God. But sadly in our brokenness, we also have great
power to destroy, tear down, to devastate. I think this
is true whether it is the spoken or the written word. I believe this is an
awesome responsibility for an author, for the written word will be there for
others to see and be affected by long after we are gone. Our written words may spread
well beyond the influence of our spoken words, as important as they are.
How sad is
it to see people reading material that leads them in wrong directions, morally,
spiritually, relationally. We see how some words can spark off a ravaging fire
of self-harm, prejudice, cruelty, immorality and selfishness – just as
devastating as an earthquake.
Yet we also
have the power with our words to do such good, to leave a legacy of encouragement,
to build others up, to inspire, to show the way to God and everlasting peace
and beauty. What a privilege.
May this be
a year when we all consider every word we speak or write, that each one may contribute
to the glorious calling we have to be God’s people in the world.
Carol writes historical novels based on her family ancestry
in Australia from the First Fleet. They include the Turning the Tide series;
Mary’s Guardian, Charlotte’s Angel, Tangled Secrets and Truly Free. Her earlier
novels, Suzannah’s Gold and Rebecca’s Dream have been re-released by EBP. You can see more about Carol and her novels on
her website
www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston
Such good reflections, Carol, as well as a strong reminder to all of us to take care with what we say and write. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteNeat pictures and observations.
ReplyDeleteCarol, well said. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
ReplyDelete