Post by MIRIAM JACOB on Aug 2, 2007 11:10:04 GMT -5
September 14, 2006
Without shedding of blood, there is no remission…
(Hebrews 9:22).
This may seem like a strange verse to open a devotional for writers, but as I considered the story of Cain and Abel this morning, I kept coming back to the importance—no, the absolute necessity—of the blood. Without it, there is no remission of sins, no salvation, no hope….
We Christian writers have a unique connection with this great truth, particularly when it comes to the balancing of our humility as believers to walk out our calling to “write the vision”—and our need to market/promote that writing so others will know about and read it.
As a new believer I was bothered by the fact that when Cain and Abel presented offerings to God, “the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering” (Gen. 4:4, 5). It didn’t seem fair to me, since they both brought offerings that represented their livelihoods. Did God like shepherds better than farmers? If so, how, then, did that square with the statement in 1 Peter 1:17 that God judges “without partiality”?
Of course, as I grew in the Lord and my understanding of the Scriptures, I came to see that Cain’s offering was rejected because it did not involve the shedding of blood. Did he know that was a requirement? Surely he did. God had rejected Adam and Eve’s attempt at covering their own sin, and had replaced their “leafy apparel” with animal skins. The requirement of the shedding of blood for the remission of sins had been established in the Garden, and Adam and Eve no doubt recounted that tragic incident of the Fall and God’s subsequent provision of covering many times to their offspring.
Cain knew what God required, but he chose to reject God’s way and do things his own way—without the shedding of blood. With that in mind, remember the long-held saying that “writing is easy—you just sit down at the typewriter [computer] and open a vein.” The key to our understanding of how that applies to us as writers is this: Will we open our own vein, attempt to shed our own blood and do things our way, including writing what we want to write and promoting it accordingly—or will we submit to God’s way and remember that it is His blood alone that is an acceptable sacrifice? Will we pursue our own thoughts and dreams and plans, build our own platforms, seek our own glory—or “write the vision” that He has given us, remembering that true promotion comes only from God (Ps. 75:6), regardless of whether that writing and promotion brings us fame and fortune, or anonymity and poverty?
Personally, I prefer the idea of fame and fortune over anonymity and poverty—and God often allows us to have that fame and fortune as a result of our writing. But if that happens, it isn’t because we have sought it or earned it or manufactured it. It is because we serve a gracious, loving Father who has promised to meet ALL our needs according to His riches in glory by the shedding of the blood of Christ Jesus, the AUTHOR and Finisher of our faith.
For it truly is all about Him—His way, His blood, His Word, the vision He gives us to write and His promotion of that vision—in short, His plans and purposes for us. What a privilege to partner together with Him to fulfill those plans and purposes, whatever they may be and whatever results they may produce.
(C) KATHI MACIAS
www.kathimacias.com
Without shedding of blood, there is no remission…
(Hebrews 9:22).
This may seem like a strange verse to open a devotional for writers, but as I considered the story of Cain and Abel this morning, I kept coming back to the importance—no, the absolute necessity—of the blood. Without it, there is no remission of sins, no salvation, no hope….
We Christian writers have a unique connection with this great truth, particularly when it comes to the balancing of our humility as believers to walk out our calling to “write the vision”—and our need to market/promote that writing so others will know about and read it.
As a new believer I was bothered by the fact that when Cain and Abel presented offerings to God, “the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering” (Gen. 4:4, 5). It didn’t seem fair to me, since they both brought offerings that represented their livelihoods. Did God like shepherds better than farmers? If so, how, then, did that square with the statement in 1 Peter 1:17 that God judges “without partiality”?
Of course, as I grew in the Lord and my understanding of the Scriptures, I came to see that Cain’s offering was rejected because it did not involve the shedding of blood. Did he know that was a requirement? Surely he did. God had rejected Adam and Eve’s attempt at covering their own sin, and had replaced their “leafy apparel” with animal skins. The requirement of the shedding of blood for the remission of sins had been established in the Garden, and Adam and Eve no doubt recounted that tragic incident of the Fall and God’s subsequent provision of covering many times to their offspring.
Cain knew what God required, but he chose to reject God’s way and do things his own way—without the shedding of blood. With that in mind, remember the long-held saying that “writing is easy—you just sit down at the typewriter [computer] and open a vein.” The key to our understanding of how that applies to us as writers is this: Will we open our own vein, attempt to shed our own blood and do things our way, including writing what we want to write and promoting it accordingly—or will we submit to God’s way and remember that it is His blood alone that is an acceptable sacrifice? Will we pursue our own thoughts and dreams and plans, build our own platforms, seek our own glory—or “write the vision” that He has given us, remembering that true promotion comes only from God (Ps. 75:6), regardless of whether that writing and promotion brings us fame and fortune, or anonymity and poverty?
Personally, I prefer the idea of fame and fortune over anonymity and poverty—and God often allows us to have that fame and fortune as a result of our writing. But if that happens, it isn’t because we have sought it or earned it or manufactured it. It is because we serve a gracious, loving Father who has promised to meet ALL our needs according to His riches in glory by the shedding of the blood of Christ Jesus, the AUTHOR and Finisher of our faith.
For it truly is all about Him—His way, His blood, His Word, the vision He gives us to write and His promotion of that vision—in short, His plans and purposes for us. What a privilege to partner together with Him to fulfill those plans and purposes, whatever they may be and whatever results they may produce.
(C) KATHI MACIAS
www.kathimacias.com