For the last several newsletters we discussed the movie Signs by M. Night Shymalan and demonstrated that although a storyteller can claim to not believe in the God of the Bible, he can still write a very touching story about the loss of faith in the midst of inexplicable tragedy, and then know the perfect antidote to restore that faith. On some days this still surprises me, but on most days it does not. This is one of the primary reasons I write these newsletters, to demonstrate this very thing. The fact that, deep down — we all know God. The stories we write are proof of it.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:18-20 NASB

These verses are some of the better known in the Bible. They are also some of the toughest. The apostle Paul is beginning his indictment of humanity, the fact we all are sinners, but not only that – that we are all without excuse, because we know God exists.

Paul gives two reasons. The first is that creation is so incredible. It doesn’t make any sense that it is “just here” on its own. The only reasonable explanation is that there is an intelligent designer. But the second, and sometimes this is missed, or simply thought to be part of the first reason — Paul says, “that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.”

Within, down deep inside, God made Himself evident to us. God put His spiritual imprint on the deepest part of our souls, a deep knowledge of who He is, of what He values, of His eternal and matchless divine nature. We can think that love and goodness and grace are our ideas, for they seem so self-evident. But they are not.

In the words of the great Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, from the late seventeenth and and early eighteenth century:

“Whence they had these discoveries: God hath shown it to them. Those common natural notions which they had of God were imprinted upon their hearts by the God of nature himself, who is the Father of lights. This sense of a Deity, and a regard to that Deity, are so connate with the human nature that some think we are to distinguish men from brutes by these rather than by reason. 1

Imprinted on our hearts. And so, where are we to run? How can we escape our very hearts? And yet, we try.

Most of the people in this world do not believe in the God of the Bible, at all. And those of us who do still battle with acknowledging Him as we should much of the time. We trust in ourselves, not in Him. But He is Perfect Love, and so He continues to try to woo us, to encourage us to acknowledge just how ill we really are:

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant.’

‘Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.’

‘The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?’”

Jeremiah 17:5-9 NASB

And though, on many days we consciously refuse to accept our diagnosis, when we sit down to write stories, seemingly to entertain ourselves, or maybe just to pass the time and be “artistic” — look at the stories we write, over and over and over again.

Next time, another story to dive into.

Sam

Just released, Once Upon A Time, Volume Two!

1 Commentary on the Whole Bible, Matthew Henry, Bible Study Tools online, 2024