The Question of the Ages

In Judges 6:13, Gideon asks God the question of the ages. "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?"

If we haven't asked it as some point in our lives, even as Christians, we've most definitely wondered about it. Why does God let bad things happen to his people? And if you've walked this journey of faith for any length of time, you've come to understand God uses all these times in our lives to refine us and those around us. But when the fire gets hot, we doubt, question, and even become angry.

If you read further, Gideon reminds God of his past rescues of the Israelites. Gideon wants to know what happened to that God of all the wonders passed down through the generations. We do that too, don't we? We look back at the past and see where God's hand was evident. Then when we don't see Him working immediately in our present circumstances, we fear God has abaondoned us, just as the Israelites and Gideon believed.

But even then, God doesn't defend himself. He simply tells Gideon to save Israel and says, "Am I not sending you now?" God doesn't go into a list of reasons, recounting all the ways the Israelites rejected Him by turning to false gods. He stays in the here and now, reminding Gideon He was right there—right now.

Gideon may not have gotten the answer he wanted to explain the past, but he got a more important response—God's reassurance that He was with Gideon in the midst of what was about to happen.

We may never understand completely why God allows certain difficulties in our lives, but we can go boldly forward in the reassurance that He is with us, always working for our benefit.

No matter how you got there, God is right there with you. Maybe you just couldn't see him beyond the scope of your situation. But like Gideon, God is asking us to look beyond those circumstances and see Him standing there, where He's always been.

Praying and believing,
Dineen

A Hideous Beauty by Jack Cavanaugh

A Hideous Beauty, the first book in the Kingdom Wars series, is very fascinating. I was delighted to finally get a chance to read a book by Jack Cavanaugh. The premise is unique and keeps you hooked to the end, which is good because, in all honestly, I didn't like the hero of this story at first. He comes across very selfish and self-centered, but by the end, I could see how this works well with the plot. Big risk though.

Despite the lack of emotion in the beginning, I think Cavanaugh did a great job weaving a tale of the ageless battle between good and evil. I did question one aspect of his theology exhibited in the book, but with further thought decided this is only based on my interpretation of what was presented. (Would love to sit with JC and discuss that one!)

In the meantime, I leave this prelude for your reading consideration, courtesy of Glass Roads PR, and I definitely recommend this book for your reading stack. One lucky commenter will get a free copy!

Imagine America’s borders have been breached—but not by something you can see. Homeland Security doesn’t even acknowledge this terrorist group exists. Yet hundreds, possibly thousands of spies are crossing our borders every day. They are renegade angels, agents of destruction from a supernatural realm.

They move among us virtually undetected. For millennia they have acted as sleeper agents, influencing human history. All the wars in the world pale in comparison to the havoc they can wreak. And now, one man is about to be sucked in to the battle. Pulitzer Prize winner Grant Austin returns to his old high school to flaunt his accomplishments in the face of his childhood nemesis, Miles Shepherd. But he discovers a conspiracy of cosmic proportions involving a plot to assassinate the president and implicate Grant as a conspirator. In an effort to unmask the assailants and salvage his own reputation, Grant enlists the aid of a wheelchair-bound professor of theology, a high-powered Washington insider, and an investigative reporter who just happens to be his old flame. As Grant peels away the layers of conspiracy, the truth takes on a hideous beauty— for nothing is what it seems to be. Not even Grant Austin.

How did you get the inspiration to mix genres like you did in this book: suspense, political fiction, and the supernatural? How do you even classify the book when describing it to others?
Kingdom Wars is supernatural suspense, the everyday world colliding with the inhabitants of heaven. In A Hideous Beauty, the point of collision is the political arena when a plot to assassinate the president is uncovered. In the second book, Tartarus, the conflict erupts after a newly discovered ancient manuscript leads archaeologists to long-lost New Testament treasures.

Where did you birth the idea for this book? When? How did it come about?
As a student of the Bible I have developed a fascination with the way it describes the supernatural and natural worlds overlapping. It assumes the overlapping is obvious to everyone. The book of Hebrews tells us that we might at times find ourselves entertaining angels and not be aware of it. But it never says whether the angels we encounter will be friendly. After all, Lucifer is an angel. That’s all it took to get my imagination jump-started. I dove into the Bible looking for instances of encounters with the supernatural and developed my stories from there.

What sort of research was necessary for writing Kingdom Wars?
Extensive. I have used the same approach writing these contemporary novels that I used while writing historical fiction. Instead of tracking down historical documents, I have researched the Bible (translating from the original languages), read numerous theological books on angels and the supernatural, and read popular and literary works, such as Milton’s, Paradise Lost and Dante’s Divine Comedy. I want to introduce the modern reader to the supernatural through stories just as these men did for their readers in their day.

What takeaway points do you hope the reader pulls from this book?
Angels are real. They are here. They are active. And some of them are not friendly. In the front of each of the novels I included quotations from other Christian scholars like C. S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer, who have said essentially the same thing I’m saying, only I’m saying it in the form of a story.

What other books are in the series, and when will they release?
At present, there will be a second Kingdom Wars book. The working title is Tartarus and it is scheduled for release Spring 2008. The concept for this book is the advantage rebel angels have over humans in terms of life span. Their lives span millennia. We have less than a century to learn about them, adapt our way of thinking to their presence, and engage them in battle. They can use this disparity to give them a tactical advantage. Think of it as time-released terrorism. The story begins when a fraudulent First Century manuscript is unearthed two thousand years after it was created.

Can you share something with our readers about what God has been teaching you lately?
Not surprisingly as I search the Bible for supernatural encounters, the lessons I have been learning are in the area of living a spiritual life. The book of Ephesians has been particularly helpful. I have been learning that intangibles such as courage, confidence, truth, humility, and patience are not simply characteristics of a spiritual person, they are that person’s offensive and defensive weapons. When the adversary attacks with doubt, lies, and intimidation, we fight back by choosing to live confidently, by choosing to tell the truth, and by choosing to take a courageous stand.

What else would you like your readers to know about you, or about Hideous Beauty?
Grant Austin’s use of humor in the face of adversity is a Cavanaugh family trait. We laugh a lot. Our family gatherings are marked by levity and laughter. We laugh during difficult times. Sometimes we laugh at the wrong times. (I once laughed myself out of $800 during a negotiation for a speaking engagement.) I have standing instructions for kazoos to be passed out at my funeral. My family will know what to do with them. I want them to laugh in the face of death and not to mourn as those who have no hope.

Psalm 23

If you're like me, you've heard the 23rd Psalm so often, your eyes kind of glaze over when you hear it. Yet it's one of the most popular Psalms. This little gem came up one day in my Bible reading, so I asked God to show me a deeper meaning. Now why was I surprised that He did?

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

The Lord is my provider. He takes care of all my needs. Like a true sheppard, He even anticipates needs I'm not even aware of.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

His way is always the best. This is where I will find rest.

3 he restores my soul.

He alone is my source of peace. The Hebrew word for restores is shuwb (pronounced shoob), and it has a long list of meanings. The ones that really stood out to me were to return, come or go back; to restore, refresh, or repair.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

I am designed to glorify Him. The Hebrew word for sake is ma'an (pronounced mah'an) and means on account of, for the purpose of, to the intent that, in order to, or to the end that. This is my sole reason for existence. Like a vase in its completed form is a reflection of the potters skill and vision. I, the vessel, reveal God's glory. He created me for this reason.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

Trials are guaranteed no matter how much money we have or how perfect our lives may seem at any one time. There is no such thing as a stress free life while we're on this earth. But we can take comfort in knowing Christ has walked, is walking, and will walk every step of the way with us.

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

God's authority gives us security and freedom. This can be a difficult one to understand. I'm just discovering its meaning myself, but I'm finding this freedom that exists under God's authority to be truly desirable. It's like a protective shield that allows me to be safe and protected as long as I'm under his authority. When I'm not, I'm answering to another "commander"—either my own will or the enemy's. Then I'm in bondage, a slave to sin, and not free.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

He is stronger than anything I will ever face. The Hebrew word for table is shulchan (pronounced shool-khawn) and means of king's table, private use, or sacred uses. Right in the face of my enemies, He's working for my benefit, and not just any table, but a king's table, a feast. He's already preparing for the victory celebration, because He knows Who who will win.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

I love the Hebrew word for overflows. R@vayah (pronounced revawyaw) means saturated. He not only pours out His blessings on us, He saturates us with them.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

This is a benefit of God's love. It's not saying we will have an easy life, but we will have goodness and love in our lives. The Hebrew word for follow is radaph (pronounced rawdaf) and means to be behind, follow after, pursue, pursecute, run after, chase, or attend closely upon. (There are more but this post is already long enough!)

God doesn't just trail behind us like a faithful dog. He pursues us, intent to give us His love and goodness. He is passionate about us, jealous for us to experience all He is and has to give. That's powerful.

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

My eternity is secure in Him. The Hebrew word for dwell is yashab (prononced yawshab) and means to remain, still, abide, to be set, stay, have one's abode, or to be inhabited. One meaning even goes as far as to marry (give a dwelling to). We are truly the bride of Christ and our future is set. No matter what lies or temptations the enemy flings at us, he can't change this. Our eternal homes are there waiting for us to inhabit them, like a wedding present.

I won't look at the 23rd Psalm as boring ever again. It's meaning is much richer than I ever realized. But isn't God's Word like that? Deep and interconnected on so many levels. This is what makes the Bible timeless. Like Hebrew 4:12 says:

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Timeless.

Bible photo by Tanya McConnell

(Be sure to leave a comment here for a chance to win a signed copy of Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace. A winner will be announced Tuesday. Thanks!)