Reading in bed late one night, maimed hero Packer Throme and I leaned over the bow of the ship, Trophy Chase, and peered into an ocean bubbling with massive firefish bent on devouring every human on board. But God had called us to a task—Packer, to lead his ship in fighting off pirates and hungry sea creatures and me, to crawl out of bed every morning and care for the little people in my life. But with our physical limitations, the tasks were impossible to accomplish. Packer’s hand had been rendered useless, and my entire body throbbed with the pain of a degenerative disease.
Then God’s Word, printed on the page in black and white, cut through our doubts and fears. “You are not your own,” it shouted a whisper as it sliced at our excuses. “You were bought at a price…my Blood, my own suffering…” Christ’s pain had never held such meaning. “…therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Which are God’s, which are God’s, which are God’s. The words struck deep, penetrating my soul with their truth.
God owned me. All of me.
Twice.
He created me, and then, with Christ’s death on the cross, He bought me. And at such a steep price, He’ll surely take care of me. I would, if I’d paid that much for someone.
With my tears of repentance came the Spirit’s comfort. In that moment, God’s presence was as palpable to me as the book in my trembling hands. Like a heated blanket draped gently over my shoulders, God encompassed me and instilled in me a calm, assurance of love and provision I cannot begin to describe.
No one could ever convince me that God does not exist or that God’s Word is not alive or that Christian fiction is mere entertainment.
At Clash of the Titles our focus is Christian fiction. Why? Because we believe God can use such a simple and non-invasive tool as fiction to touch lives. He can, and he does.
Everything else is just entertainment.
During this first Clash of the year, we’re celebrating new life in Christ. Through the centuries, souls have been touched and reached for Christ in myriad ways. Like many other Christian writers, our featured authors write with the prayer that someone might come to know Christ through reading their books. We’ll hear their testimonies next week, but today, we’d love to hear from you.
If you’ve experienced God on any level while reading Christian fiction, please tell us your story using the comments section below. Everyone who leaves a comment will be entered in the drawing. (yep, another chance at these great books!)
