Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem
The Names and Titles of God (The Author and Finisher of Our Faith)
Hebrews 12:2
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
King James Version
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My Mom loved to read. She especially liked stories that took place in Boston, during the 50's and 60's, which she knew best. She read every book written by Dennis Lehane that she could get her hands on. She loved all of them except for on, titled Shutter Island. Her contention was that the plot twist at the end was abrupt and seemed like the author didn't know how to end the book. (I will not go further on this to avoid writing a SPOILER).
My Sister had an opportunity to ask the author about this during a writing seminar. Lehane assured her that he knew exactly what he intended to write, and had made a detailed outline before even beginning to write the book. I have since read the book, and have seen the movie as well, and while I understand why Mom didn't like it, I could see what Lehane did with the plot. It was a genre of novel called a "Psychological Thriller", and the ending did make sense in that context. I guess Mom was into straight murder mysteries rather than "Psycho-Thrillers".
My other sister and I were bemoaning the impossibility of discarding old computers. I still have several computers in my closet, full of Musical Notation, Songwriting Experiments, four music books I have written, old recital programs, and other stuff I will never use again. Unfortunately, there is a lot of personal data in those computers as well, so I don't want to just throw them away. I suppose I could take the hard drives out into the driveway and smash them with a hammer, but that would require the strength and energy of Hercules.
My sister commiserated. "I've started TWO novels," she said, "And they are sitting in that laptop at the bottom of the bedroom closet. The Laptop is so broken it won't even turn on!"
When I suggested she take the laptop to a shop to have the data extracted, she said that, even if she got the novels back, she wouldn't know how to tie up the loose ends and finish them. I suggested the "Hammer Method". Mobile Homes do not have the storage space to accommodate dead computers!
I know what it is like to start something and not be able to finish it. I started writing a Christmas Cantata about 30 years ago, long before I had a computer to write out the parts. I did manage to have it performed in 1987, but it was too short. When I got a computer that could write musical notation, that made it easier, but I never did finish it. THAT is just one of the things sitting in a old PC with Windows 7, at the bottom of my ONLY Closet.
When there is always new stuff to write, why go back and tinker with the old stuff? Bach wrote over 250 Cantatas in four years, and did it all BY HAND. Plus, he was the Director of Music for four churches, gave his wife piano lessons, and fathered 20+ kids. (sigh). Many of us can be authors. The trick is to be a "Finisher".
Today's Name for Jesus is "The Author and Finisher of Our Faith". This not only says that He is The Beginning and The End, The Alpha and the Omega, The First and the Last, or, as stated in the First Line of Genesis, The Aleph-Tav. It also says that He, who began a good work in you (and me) will persevere with you to the end. He will not leave or forsake you. He will not abandon you, like an unfinished novel in a broken laptop at the bottom of the closet. He will not give up on you. He is the Author, AND the Finisher.
Even if sometimes, we get a few surprises and plot twists, He will perfect a Good Work in you to the very end.
Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.
For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. (Mark 4:22)
God Bless America.
Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS