* * *
Matt Redman says, “Every authentic response in worship comes from revelation. When you become a Christian, you commit your life to God. And then from that moment on, everything you see of God, everything that is revealed to you, everything you find in His Word, everything you realize when you gather with the believers, every time you take a walk under a night sky and gaze up at the stars above is revelation. It’s like fuel for the fire of worship.”
In this amazing diverse world, no two zebras have the same stripes, no two roses, or snowflakes, or fingerprints, or the iris of eyes have the same pattern. Each African penguin has a unique spot pattern on its chest, which zoo-keepers—and other penguins—soon get to recognise.
So too, God shares different revelations, different aspects of his personality, to each of his beloved. God is always speaking, A. W. Tozer says. His voice rises above the din and clatter of the world around us.
Just as we instinctively adjust our description of an idea or experience to our audience, the Spirit who created vast diversity reminds us of ancient truths in unique words and images, differing in emphasis, colour and music, geared towards each of our Myers-Briggs personality, IQ, culture and life-experience, our spiritual age, if you like, and our capacity to be changed by our insights.
And the fresh insights the Spirit gives us, the new wine he pours, needs new words, a fresh expression. New wineskins for New Wine.
* * *
Make it New was Ezra Pound’s slogan, adopted by the Modernist movement.
To write in the fewest possible words, as clearly as possible, exactly what one meant—that was his only lesson in the art of writing, Virginia Woolf wrote of her father, brilliant literary scholar Lesley Stephen, who home-educated her.
We do not need to strain after newness. By being brave and honest and telling the truth the way we see it, we will be fresh. And by trying to say as clearly as possible, exactly what we mean, in our own words, not anyone else’s, we will be unique.
And so no two Christian writers or bloggers writing about prayer, or hearing God’s voice, or loving one another should say the same thing in the same way, because, you see, our experience will be slightly different. No two people will have an identical spiritual experience; different things will strike each of us with gale force.
Last season’s fruit is eaten
And the fulfilled beast shall kick the empty pail.
For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice
To purify the dialect of the tribe (T.S. Eliot, Little Gidding)
* * *
When I expressed my dream of a Blog through the Bible project last year, my daughter Zoe said dubiously, “Do you know Mike Pilavachi is doing that too? Nicky Gumbel is doing that too?”
At first you feel “Why bother”? Nicky Gumbel is cleverer, theologically trained, experienced. Why read me if you can read him?
But God gives each of us unique circles of influence, unique tribes. And our life-experience, personalities, and ways of expressing ourselves speak to our own tribe, in a way someone else’s might not.
And so we continue “writing down the revelation and make it plain that he may run who reads it,” (Hab 2:20), continue recording what we hear the Spirit say, even while John, Mark, Luke Matthew, James, Peter, Paul, Nicky and Mike are doing it too, and doing it better.
* * *
Fortunately, the eight authors of the New Testament were not deterred by the fact that Paul and Luke were clearly better educated and more intelligent and better writers than Peter or Matthew or James or Mark, because all eight of them contribute richly to our New Testament, and we each have a favourite book, and those who have no time for Paul have a lot of time for John or Luke. And vice-versa.
Read my new memoir: Rosaries, Reading, Secrets: A Catholic Childhood in India (US) or UK.
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anitamathiaswriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anita.mathias/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnitaMathias1
My book of essays: Wandering Between Two Worlds (US) or UK
Anita says
Thanks much, Rhoda and Florence!
@Florence, welcome to my blog:-)
Florence says
“God gives each of us unique circles of influence, unique tribes. And our life-experience, personalities, and ways of expressing ourselves speak to our own tribe, in a way someone else’s might not. “
Thanks, needed to hear this today. 🙂
Rhoda says
Thanks for the interesting and challenging post. This quote is the most challenging for me: 'To write in the fewest possible words'!! I often think of a sentence and then end up writing a page! I catch myself every so often thinking, why should I post this – everyone knows it already. But then I remind myself that my goal is to write what God is teaching me, not what no-one else has heard. And I agree about the circles of influence – that often keeps me going where otherwise I would have given up. Thanks for linking up and for the encouragement to post that last post on my blog 🙂
Anita says
Hi Leah,
Well, she has a highly poetic style, but no, I didn't find anything objectionable. The medieval female mystics use highly emotional, romantic, and even sexual imagery to describe their relationship with God!!
Leah Atha says
Great, thanks!
Leah Atha says
You've given me much to think about!
On a slightly related topic, I've heard that 1,000 Gifts took a Song of Songs-esque descriptor of her relationship to God too far. As you have read the book, do you have any thoughts about it?
Anita says
Claudia, reading your comment makes me realise that all of us Christian bloggers just have to be honest about our struggles (and take the risk that we might discourage, rather than encourage people).
Each of us has our circle of influence God gives us, whom we uniquely touch. And I guess the parable of the talents,and real life experiences shows that the more faithful one is with sharing one's honest, real, spiritual lives and inspirations, the wider that circle of influence grows.
I am constantly trying to be more and more real and honest. Otherwise, there is little value in a spiritual writing ministry!:-)
Claudia says
I reached a point last year being very discouraged in my writing, because my experiences were nothing like those of some of the blogs I was reading. There was even a couple I stopped following because they seemed so far above me I was feeling depressed by the comparison.
I've now realised all I can do is write about my own experience. And if what I'm learning is old news to everyone else so be it. And even if I only have 13 followers all I can do is to be faithful to my own journey.
Anita says
Do revisit it. 1000 Gifts is a very capacious form for telling a story and Ann has a life-changing insight to share. But your book will be Kim's, not Ann's because you are Kim, not Ann. Follow the dream God has sown in your heart, and it will lead you along surprising paths, and to surprising places! Blessings, Anita
kd sullivan says
This is such encouragement to me. I will have to meditate on this. I had an idea similar to 1000 Gifts years ago, but felt like I shouldn't bother now…but maybe I should revisit? hmmmm….
Anita says
Hi UKViewer,
Thanks much. I recently read sthg. about the importance of writing down our “visions,” thoughts I've developed here. http://dreamingbeneaththespires.blogspot.com/2011/12/write-down-vision-and-make-it-plain.html
Do consider blogging more. I think blogs are part of God's love, guidance and revelation to the church, through the “communion of saints.” Just part, of course, never displacing Scripture or prayer 😉 (lest I sound heretical!)
UKViewer says
Anita,
Thank you for a brilliant post.
I hadn't thought of each new revealing as Revelation, just an inspiration from the Holy Spirit, perhaps they're one and the same.
I blog sparingly, but write continuously, I'm not sure why, but I keep a journal of my experiences, some of which has helped me in the discernment process with the Church. The rest is a record of my journey of faith, since becoming a Born-Again (trite phrase, but descriptive of my experience) Christian some 5 years ago.
I love following blogs, because others perspective can give me new insights and contribute to my learning and understanding more about the Gospel and myself.