Good Word Wednesday

I love historical fiction. No longer are you merely reading facts about war; you become deeply intertwined in personal experiences that changed the shape of people's lives. No longer is there a mental line between "me" in the present and "them" from the past. No longer is slavery an extraneous event in history that I can't relate to. Speculating what he thought or she did is an art form that makes feelings, pain and sorrow real. Drawing a picture with words gives an even more vivid illustration than a photo because it was painted on the vast plains of imagination in your mind's eye.

This is why I especially love biblical historical fiction. The Bible is full of stories about real women (and men) dealing with real problems. From adultery to addiction, there are stories of women who messed up, tried again, obeyed and overcame. They are not stories we can't relate to but stories we live each day. They are accounts of imperfect women who felt the same pain, brokenness and need that we do. By listening to what they may have felt or said, we can enter their situation and gain hope and healing for our own. These stories aren't fable. They are freedom if you let them be.

The pioneer of biblical fiction is Francine Rivers. I'll reserve a separate day for the book she's most known for because I plan to read it again in the near future. The books that taught me how to walk in the footsteps of women in the Bible are part of a series called A Lineage of Grace. It's a collection of 5 smaller books - Unveiled tells the story of a 14-year old girl named Tamar who's thrust into a marriage of abuse and betrayal, Unashamed is about Rahab - a prostitute, Unshaken is about Ruth - a widow, Unspoken is a saga of adultery, power and Bathsheba's love affair with a king, and Unafraid walks with an average girl named Mary who became more when God added some "extra" to her "ordinary."

If you are not a Christian, I promise you there's not a boring page in the book. And each one is super short. Try the first one and see if you can keep from reading the rest. They're like Girl Scout thin mint cookies. You can't have just one. :)

If you are a believer, the pages aren't just "not boring." They are life-giving. They will teach you a discipline that will change the way you read God's Word and understand His heart. Rather than just reading the Bible, you will learn to listen to it.

And I promise what it has to say is anything but ordinary.