“LOOK, THE LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD!”

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. John said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” This is the One I was talking about when I said, ‘A man will come after me, but he is greater than I am, because he was living before me.’ Even I did not know who he was, although I came baptizing with water so that the people of Israel would know who he is.” Then John said, “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven in the form of a dove and rest on him. Until then I did not know who the Christ was. But the God who sent me baptize with water told me, ‘You will see the Spirit come down and rest on a man; He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen this happen, and I tell you the truth: This man is the Son of God.” John 1:29-34 NCV

I tell you the truth: This man is the Son of God!

The books have been ordered, the launches have been set, and I would rather eat dirt than do this marketing thing. I feel like I am promoting myself. It has me tied in knots. It is a fine line to walk. So why do I do this? Yesterday, I asked my publisher about this marketing stuff this. I spoke to her about this conundrum I feel. Her words of advice, “Be true to the message.”

The message of this book came to me during a time of hollowness in my spiritual journey. I needed more of God and I didn’t quite know it yet. Out of my emptiness, I fell on my knees and cried, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.” Psalm 51. God did restore me after I got honest with Him. He poured on me the oil of joy. He lifted me to my feet and led me to my computer keyboard and said, “Now write the lessons I am about to teach you.” This was during the Christmas of 2014, and since it was Christmas, I opened my bible to Matthew chapters 1 and 2 and Luke chapters 1 and 2. I began writing out my thoughts and questions and the Lord began teaching me and giving me the answers I was seeking. I wrote for 40 days. I began with Gabriel and I ended with the wise men. I discovered that God had written out my story in each of their stories. That’s my message of this book. My story, your story has already been played out through the people of God’s Word. He has our answers. They have already been given. God gave Zechariah and Elizabeth their answer. God gave Joseph the best solution to his dilemma. He gave each of us His Word to guide us like that star to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

When I don’t understand the path that God has put me on, or I don’t like the circumstances I find myself in, and when I just don’t see God’s hand working in my situation, I have discovered writing. When I just can’t figure things out, I go to my Bible, and I just start writing out my questions to God. When these questions are open and honest and come from brokenness, God speaks to me in the words I write.

God has given me this avenue. God has sent me a publisher, Beth Wilson of Hear My Heart Publishing, who takes chances on first time writers, so I have chosen to take this writing street. In my writing through God’s Word, I have seen The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! I love that there is an exclamation point after this description. John was making a declaration. Jesus is the Lamb of God! I know this. I had been searching for a vehicle to declare this to other people. I am not like John who just stood on the banks of the Jordan in camel hair attire. I am not physically that boisterous, but when I write I can be. I don’t know why God has given me this passion. I did not get my degree in English or communications. But what I do know, when I write I want to declare from the rooftops, “Follow that guy, Jesus Christ the Son of God! He has all your answers.”

The words I write are my lessons the Lord is teaching me. Jesus is greater than my puzzles because He has been there and done that. He was there before time began. At times, just like John, I don’t recognize Jesus in my life, but then through His Word, and in these stories, I see Jesus working in my life. I’ve seen a dove rest on a branch. I have heard a whisper, “Here I am.”

So in these books I write, I tell you the truth, “Jesus is the Son of God!”