Like the Light of Dawn
by Nicole Schrader
Righteous. This word has confounded me for years. I understand I am in right standing before God because of Jesus Christ, but rarely do I feel righteous.
Recently, I read a book by Ted Dekker entitled AD 33. The protagonist, a Bedouin follower of the Way of Jesus Christ, helps me to understand my identity as a righteous child of God. Here is an excerpt:
“Belief in Yeshua is this: identifying with him in his death, resurrection, and glory … Your identity is this: you are the daughter of your Father, already made complete and whole, already at peace and full of power …The only way to identify with your true identity is to let go of all other identities, and all offense that block your vision.”
I’m intrigued by this idea that we are blinded to our true identity by the judgments and offenses we cling to. And by surrendering our right to judge or bear grievance, we are able to see more clearly who we really are in Christ. This includes recognizing our identity as word-bearers, whether we share through fiction or nonfiction.
Fiction can be a wonderful tool to illustrate the truth of God’s word. The most powerful Jesus used parables to communicate facets of the kingdom of God. He told stories and asked questions. We can follow his example as writers.
Heavenly Father, I pray you use each of us to proclaim Christ in fiction and non-fiction, young adult literature and children’s picture books. Use us for your glory. Amen.
“Chapter 35.” A.D. 33, by Ted Dekker, HachetteAudio, 2015, p. 350.
Nicole Schrader is an author and blogger. As a homeschool mom, she discovered a passion for writing as she taught her children to write. Schrader loves writing for children and looks forward to reading with her grandchildren. She writes a website for parents, https://Bookblurbs.org, and a devotional blog, at https://nlmschrader.blog. Visit her sites for inspiration and encouragement!