God and the Threads of Story

God Is Intrinsic to the Threads of Story

The threads of story, every story, embody God. He imbues the fabric, whether intended or unintended, whether the author believes in God or does not. Isaac Asimov was an atheist, and yet God permeated his stories. Furthermore, one might read an utterly godless story, and… Hmm. What did I just say? Yes, even in recognizing a story as godless we see God in its threads. In fact, by the word “godless” we are acknowledging God.

When you look at a tapestry you see the story depicted, not the threads that make the story possible. But without the threads the story cannot be told. Without God—both Creator and Sustainer—all is sucked into a great black hole of nothingness. Without God there are no stories, whether they purpose to include God, ignore God, or attempt to exclude God. God is the fundamental source of all stories. (Link to a good blog post about God in Fiction)

In Colossians 1:16-17 we read, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

And Romans 11:36 tells us, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.”

And the statement in Hebrews 1:2-3 is powerful, peaking of, “His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power.”

All things were created by Him and for Him, and He holds it all together, and that includes the threads of story, of every story, good, bad or indifferent, and whether or not the story recognizes Him. For my part, as a Christian author, I cannot help but acknowledge the “Source” of the threads by which I weave the tapestry of each story that I write.

Threads of Our Making or His?

Of course, some people see the threads of story as threads of their own making. But it is rather like the joke about God and the scientist. The scientist told God he did not need Him. “I even have the capability of making man,” he bragged. “Show me,” said God, and the man reached for some dirt. “No, that won’t do,” said God. “Make your own dirt!” When writing a story, an author may not recognize it, but he is using God’s threads.

Word of Honor is an epic fantasy story. It is not “Christian,” but the threads of story are God imbued, He is there within the fabric of the story. It is “Christian fantasy” only in that sense. One’s writing by nature reveals one’s worldview; by nature one’s worldview will inform one’s writing.

What are your thoughts on the threads of story? Do share your comments.

Also, I think you will enjoy “Through a Looking Glass” available in the sidebar. Give it a click!