“He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.” -James 1:18

Did you see that?! We were chosen to receive His true word AND we became his prized possession! If that doesn’t make you feel special, I don’t know what will. He chose us before the foundation of the world, Paul stated in Ephesians. To receive His true word, per James in this verse. And, if that isn’t all, “we, out of all creation, became his prized possession!”

I’ve been dwelling on that the last few days. It made me think about what God is doing in this book He has given to me to write. Why me? And how do I know He’s given me this book to display his message?

He has given me a unique perspective on this story – my family (1) is walking alone from Prussia to Southern Russia when most of their contemporaries went by covered wagon and horses in a group, and (2) sees a phenomenon in the sky that transcends anything they had ever seen and would not be matched or surpassed until 1997, almost 200 years later. This phenomenon will color their thinking and the thinking of every person they meet along the way.

That phenomenon? The Great Comet of 1811, also known as Napoleon’s Comet. This comet could be seen by the naked eye for 260 days/511 days with assistance and stretched for milllions of miles. It first appeared in March of 1811 and reached it peak in October, 1811, just when our family was leaving Prussia. One commentor on the comet estimated it being 50% larger than the sun with many fires seen across the sky and landing on the earth starting many local fires. (https://lnkd.in/e_pYhwHt)

Can you imagine what people were thinking? This is it! The end of the world! Apocalypse now! Some people say it an omen of a great war to come. Napoleon was swooping across Eastern Europe at this time. Other people would blame Napoleon’s demise in Russia on this comet. There is disruption in the earth’s system causing a lot of worry and dread. Some people see it as a sign of the coming of the Lord.

Regardless, there was a lot of fear and blame placed on the comet. The people in my upcoming book, The Long Trek, will express various interpretations of this great phenomenon. There is already a great chasm between the Mennonites and the secular world. Now, this act of God brings more impetus to that separation. How do the Mennonites view this streak in the sky? Can this be yet another topic to use to point the unbeliever to Christ?

I, personally, feel this is yet another confirmation from God that this story must be told. God has given me yet another point of interest include in the book. It may be useful to drive home the point of the book, forgiveness and acceptance. I am still contemplating just how this all will work out. Even the great Russian author, Leo Tolstoy, referred to this comet in his epic book, War and Peace.

You will have to wait until next Spring to find out what I do with this. I may have to wait that long myself to see for how everything plays out. God is showing me page by page, and incident by incident how to include it in the story. Sometimes I don’t even know what is going to happen next. Only God knows the end from the beginning. I have to remember He calls me His prized possession and will use me to tell the story He wants to be told in His time. All glory to God!

Please comment what you think the Mennonites would’ve thought about that massive light in the sky. What would you have thought knowing nothing about natural phenomena like this? How does God reveal to you that you are His prized possession?