Write the Vision: Guest Post by Stacey Thacker
“And the Lord answered me: ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.’” (Habakkuk 2:2)
A couple of years ago I found a kindred heart on the pages of God’s Word. His name was Habakkuk. He has a tiny three-chapter book in the Old Testament with his name on it. Maybe I liked him immediately because he wrestled with God. Or perhaps it was because of something God told Habakkuk to do, even though he was feeling fresh out of amazing like me.
“What did God tell Habakkuk to do? He told the prophet to pick up the chisel and write the vision on a tablet. God also told him how to do it. The phrase “keep it simple.”
Now consider that God had to tell farmer-turned-prophet Habakkuk to keep his message simple. He didn’t have a hashtag, images purchased from iStock, or even colored pens to make his message extra special. He didn’t have a Journaling Bible or a You-Tube video.
He had a simple message written on tablets of stone, and God said, “Hey, Habakkuk, just write what you saw. Nothing less. Nothing more.” When God speaks we don’t need to dress it up or make it fancy. His Word, his vision, his instructions are enough.
God told Habakkuk to write it down. And he did.
I know what you may be thinking: “But I’m not a writer. I failed writing in college. I avoid writing grocery lists. This doesn’t apply to me.” Before you move on, though, let me just put this out there for you to consider:
Habakkuk was a farmer.
Peter was a fisherman.
David was a shepherd.
Matthew was a tax collector.
James was a carpenter.
I am a mom.
Write the vision on people's hearts.
You don’t have to identify as a writer to write down faith-affirming words inspired by God.
You simply have to be willing. And whether anyone sees your words or you tuck them away in a journal like I did for years, your words matter because your soul matters. Writing is indeed clarifying soul work. And isn’t that what we need most when we are fresh out of amazing?
Maybe you think this is fine for word-loving girls, but you still do not consider yourself a writer. Perhaps even keeping a private journal has no appeal to you. I have had times in my life when my journal sits unused and gathers dust. I get the “no appeal.” I really do. But guess what? Friend, we are the actual living letters other people are reading. The apostle Paul said it in 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 (The Voice):
You are our letter, every word burned onto our hearts to be read by everyone. You are the living letter of the Anointed One, the Liberating King, nurtured by us and inscribed, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God—a letter too passionate to be chiseled onto stone tablets, but emblazoned upon the human heart.
We open our heart and from the beginning God begins to mark it with his holy pen. He writes Christ on it, telling those who read our lives that we are his. God doesn’t write on stone tablets anymore. He writes on human hearts that live and breathe and have their being in him.
And as we go about our day, our hearts bump into the hearts of others, and we write a message on their hearts as well. When we write God’s grace words, we build up, love, and encourage the people we encounter.
It gives me pause to think of the hearts I have written on today. What mark did I leave? Have I left a God word there for others to read? Will my marks on their hearts point others to Him? The most powerful place to write God’s truth is on the tablet of someone’s heart. We have to treat this responsibility with great care.
As a writer, I often think about the effect of words.
But I hope after considering it, you understand that you are a writer too. It is tempting when we are fresh out of amazing to only write messages of discouragement and discontent on the hearts of others. But sharing the gospel is simply writing Jesus on the heart of everyone we encounter. When we do that, people will not say, “She is amazing!” They will say, “Wow! Her God is good.”
Your words, if chosen carefully, can land in the soft places of people’s hearts and point them to Jesus. I’m overwhelmed by this opportunity he so freely gives.It is truly sacred space. “(Adapted from Fresh Out of Amazing: Opening Your Heart to God’s Unexpected Invitation)
Stacey Thacker is a wife and the mother of four girls. Creator of the popular blog Mothers of Daughters, she is a writer and speaker who loves God’s Word. Her passion is to connect with women and encourage them in their walks with God. Her books include Hope for the Weary Mom, the Hope for the Weary Mom Devotional: A 40 Day Journey (co-written with Brooke McGlothlin) and Fresh Out of Amazing. You can find her blogging at staceythacker.com and hanging out on Instagram and Twitter @staceythacker, usually with a cup of coffee in her hand.