The Wicket Gate

Week three of our series takes a look at chapter four of Borgmans’ Don’t Waste Your Breath (61-70). A chapter in Ecclesiastes that firmly displays God’s sovereignty over the Universe (which includes our lives).

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Borgman begins the chapter by examining God’s sovereignty over our lives as the cornerstone of our faith. We have been actively discussing this topic in our Sunday morning class as we have progressed through Romans. Often in groups with Reformed beliefs when God’s sovereign role is discussed, the metaphor of God as playwright will arise. The metaphor, which Borgman also uses, illustrates God’s place completely outside of the play, writing every motion and line. I am currently reading What about Evil by Scott Christensen for my apologetics class at RBS (A class which Borgman is one of the instructors.), in chapter seven, Christensen puts the metaphor in perspective.  

“God is not like a Shakespeare, a Milton, a Tolstoy, or a Tolkien. He is not to be likened to some prolific playwright or scripter of grand epics. Quite the opposite. It is the perennial earthly storyteller who mirrors God. The Most High is not like an author. He is the Author. The human author is like him. God is the paradigmatic Narrator. He is the composer of an epic oratorio, pulling every instrument, every voice, every disparate movement in to a harmonious and triumphant crescendo” (168) “What about Evil” Scott Christensen 

So God is not like a human author, he is the Author all humans are emulating . To further this point, in the tenth chapter of What about Evil Christiansen writes, “It is to ask what kind of God exists – a master  Playwright who infuses storytelling into his creation and into his image bearing creatures, who tell stories because they themselves act in stories “ (228). Christians who were made in the image of God enjoy writing and reading good stories because God Most High enjoys a writing and directing a good story. That story may not be all good things, many bad things shape and discipline us in the Spirit’s work of sanctification throughout our lives (Rom. 5:3-5). The difficult times of mourning, weeping, and tearing apart are all a part of the story. The positive times- love, peace, healing, and embracing are definitely the more enjoyable parts of the story. And yet, all are part of the story God is unfolding. The joy of Jesus’ birth and His time on earth with His Apostles and disciples is as much a part of the story as his trial, crucifixion and resurrection. God works all things, good and bad, toward the fulfillment of all his decrees according to his unchangeable Holy nature (Rom. 5:5,11). 

 God authorship includes control of the days, seasons (Gen. 8:22), and happenings of this world, He “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11). God has the whole world in his hand, more than that he has the universe in his hand! This is why He has told us not to fear so many times, to not worry or fret (Luke 12:7, Matt. 10:31). The first thing that comes to my mind is question 27 and 28 from the Heidelberg Catechism

Question 27. What dost thou mean by the providence of God?
Answer: The almighty and everywhere present power of God; whereby, as it were by his hand, he upholds and governs heaven, earth, and all creatures; so that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, yea, and all things come, not by chance, but be his fatherly hand. 

Question 28. What advantage is it to us to know that God has created, and by his providence does still uphold all things?
Answer: That we may be patient in adversity; thankful in prosperity; and that in all things, which may hereafter befall us, we place our firm trust in our faithful God and Father, that nothing shall separate us from his love; since all creatures are so in his hand, that without his will they cannot so much as move.

The Supreme Author is in control, even when it seems to our human thinking he isn’t there or does not care. When scriptural understanding of God’s sovereignty is placed first in our lives, peace is made possible. Not just a peace for the moment, but the hope and peace that lasts until our individually appointed time. As humans we really try hard to control everything, we want to be the Author. But this human control is Hevel, true joy is the gift of faith in a Savior who has overcome the world. A wellspring of joy flows from enjoying God as he guides, guards and directs us. He has secured our salvation by the death of His Son and will see us through to the end. 

We don’t want to forget our part as Christians, we are not directing or writing, but we have a part to play. Our responsibility is to work out our faith with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). We should work to make our calling and election sure(2 Pet. 1:10), not as though we are working to earn salvation, but that we are doing the works prepared for us beforehand(Eph. 2:8-10), this includes spreading the Gospel (Matt. 28:19-20). Again, I want to emphasize the Author has written all of these happenings out and by his providence will bring them to pass (Eph. 2:8-10). 

In the conclusion chapter four Borgman once again illustrates using his own life and experience with Hevel. In 2016 he had surgery to remove a large brain tumor during an 11-and-a-half-hour surgery. He had planned to preach from Psalm 131 in his return to the pulpit but ended up back in the hospital after a cardiac episode post-surgery.  

“O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high, I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.” Psalm 131:1-3 

It is difficult to read his story with the passage and not get emotional, finding contentment with one’s position in life, finding peace in our position as creature, lacking all the answers because we are not God. Remember we are in His hands, we are in the story, we are not the Author, we are not in control. So I encourage you to pray with me that the indwelling Spirit strengthens us to live in patient endurance (Heb. 10:36), trusting in God’s Sovereignty. Hold tight to the truth that there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Rom. 8:1), and there is no separation from the love of Christ(Rom. 8:39). This is the source of our hope and joy that cannot be taken away (2 Cor. 4:16-18). I have to get back to work! Lol. 

Christensen, M. Scott. What about Evil?: A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory. Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2020.