Theme Bible verses for inspirational writers can help us remember why we're writing. I—or rather—the Holy Spirit - chose a theme verse for me that
fits in with what I believe He's been speaking to me about my faith and
writing for 2018. You’re invited to try and guess which verse it is before I
list it at the end of this post.
The nudge to focus more on this verse started when I watched
a YouTube video by Nabeel Qureshi, a well-known speaker who is also a former Muslim. It was his final vlog because cancer cut his
life short even though he battled it as bravely as he could. But he had peace
because he left the final outcome to God; he knew cancer was a dust bunny God
could easily sweep out of his body.
His final words were about love:
- He stressed love as being the greatest thing.
- He didn’t want us—the body of Christ—to lose sight of it or forget it.
So when a good friend told me she was battling cancer. My
heart turned to stone and dropped to the lowest level of hope when she also
mentioned how hugely the odds were stacked against her.
I figured if God allowed someone even younger than us to die
of cancer, who was I to believe and ask Him to save my friend from this
despicable foe?
Real faith chooses to believe.
So I asked for
healing for her. And the more I prayed, the more my heart lightened and the
more my hope grew.
What is faith if I don’t exercise it?
What is faith if it
doesn’t ask for good things for others, even impossible things?
Faith hopes,
believes, and therefore asks.
Because real faith goes to work; it doesn’t call
in sick.
My friend did beat the first round of cancer; against the
odds, those nasty dust bunnies were blown to bits. And we all rejoiced because
God said yes that time. She is now battling a second round of cancer that
showed up in another part of her body, and prayers are once again being sent to
the One who is more than able to demolish the delinquent cells.
We know He can,
and we hope He will.
Now back to my verse of the year:
It’s no surprise that God would point out a verse related to
the very thing I’ve been secretly and not-so-secretly complaining about. If I’m
going to whine about a lack of love in the world, then I should be part of the
solution. I should fill more of my writing with it.
This oft missing ingredient is the same thing I saw shining
in the face of my sweet friend so many years ago when she expressed her faith through
it; she prayed for me privately, invited me to her house Bible study, and then invited
me to her church because of it—because of love.
Love.
As I go into 2018, I want to write words penned with
unconditional love.
The world needs more of love’s ink spilled across pages of
books, magazines, blogs, vlogs, podcasts, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and
face to face too. I’m going to share this message through doors that are
already open and knock on doors I believe He’s asking me to brave.
Because:
The only thing that matters is faith
expressing itself
through love.
Galatians 5:6 NIV
What’s your favorite verse right now? I’m nosy-to-know.
