A reviewer recently asked a valid question, or two. Since I’m addressing the Spiritual side of my story, The Wishing Well Curse, I thought I’d address his questions.
The reviewer said in the summary paragraph:
“Speaking of the mystery. I wasn't offended by how you ended it, but to be honest, it felt... It felt like you took the easy way out. I'll tell you what I expected. I expected Zeke to die. Blood often foreshadows bloodshed, and every time Zeke went near the well, his tattoo bled. Somehow, someway, he would have to give his life to end the curse. Instead, all he had to do was lead a ghost to Christ, dump some ashes down a well, and read a prayer. If it was that easy, why couldn't his great-great-whatever have done it? Oh, that's right. The fourth generation thing. Never mind that Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us or that Luther was a Spirit-filled believer. Until Zeke came along, His hands were tied. (Seriously, was that legend really more powerful than GOD?)”
Good question!
Well, the reason Zeke didn’t die is because the story was about Zeke coming around to his own salvation. The blood shed by his tattoo represented Jesus’ blood reaching out to him to bring him back to the savior. He didn’t have to give his life (Zeke) because Jesus has already done that. His mission was to bring peace back to the people who had been held hostage by the curse (or by the guilt).
Aren’t we all held hostage by our guilt when we do not repent and receive God’s forgiveness? The ghosts at the well were held hostage by the curse (as satan tries to make us believe), but also by love. They represent us letting the past dictate our present and our future. (I feel the Jabez Prayer releases us from that tie to the past.)
Now, the big question:
"Instead, all he had to do was lead a ghost to Christ, dump some ashes down a well, and read a prayer. If it was that easy, why couldn't his great-great-whatever have done it? Oh, that's right. The fourth generation thing. Never mind that Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us or that Luther was a Spirit-filled believer. Until Zeke came along, His hands were tied. (Seriously, was that legend really more powerful than GOD?)”
As I said in Christian2Christian Part 1, All my stories are wrapped around Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
The premise of this story is that God knew Zeke even before Uncle Luther was born. This entire scenario was all part of God’s plan to bring Zeke back to the family of God. This reviewer is right, “Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” Exactly! Once Zeke acknowledged Jesus as his Lord and Savior, he then (through God’s power) was able to overpower the bonds of the curse and release the family from the multi-generational curse, because God loved him long before he was a twinkle in his mother’s eye. This was Zeke’s pre-destined opportunity to reunite with the one who matters most, Jesus. The legend was NOT more powerful than God, the legend was how God reached out to Zeke.
The bottom line, as always, is: this is a work of fiction. I'm simply saying "what if..." It's not a work of theology. But I appreciate the reviewer's comments and the opportunity to sit back and think about what my intentions were when writing this story. And I appreciate this opportunity to share with you, my blogger friends. Leave me a comment is you wish, or share this blog on FB or Twitter. I write for God's Glory and pray seeds are planted for a harvest for His Kingdom.
