My Father used some novel ways of teaching me tonight. I read Ephesians 2 and the Prologue of St. John’s Gospel to learn of how He enlightens His people, but, while I was doing this, He overlaid a more meaningful illustration. He used situations from my own novel! This theme is very strong, in symbolic form, in what I have written. And I didn’t even realize it, not really! This leads me to wonder something. If God can use my writings to teach me about Himself, how might He use them to teach others? What a glorious thought! What an incentive! (1)

As I read Isaiah 54 and 62, He again overlaid the message of winning back the bride in contemporary terms. He used the song “Come in from the Rain.” I pictured the young wife wanting to be a liberated woman of the ‘80s walking away from her marriage to prove that she could make it on her own. But, her husband dearly loves her. His love radiates out to her and calls to her. With time, she comes to realize that she really needs him and that there’s nothing wrong in that need. The husband waits, then he hears her knock on the door. He opens it, and she’s standing there in the pouring rain. He sings to her very tenderly: “Well, hello there, dear old friend of mine. I’ve been waiting for you here for such a long, long time…. Come in from the rain.” And he draws her in where it’s warm and dry and safe. That’s how it is with our Father/Spouse when we rebel against Him. He calls us with His love to come back and be with Him. (2)

(1) Spiritual director: Beautiful.

(2) Spiritual director: Good illustration. Very touching.