A Battle to Live For

by Ben

I read Isaiah 16-23.

I just finished reading "Heaven's Wager" by Ted Dekker. I've really gotten into Christian fiction recently, or more specifically, the books by Ted Dekker. "Heaven's Wager" reads like a modern day Job. Kent Anthony is a computer software designer for a very large bank in Denver. After the death of his wife, the death of his son, and having a huge promotion stolen from him at work, Kent decides he is going to pull off the perfect crime: steal $20,000,000 without anyone noticing. Not only does Kent pull it off, but he disappears into a new life under several false names. However, he finds that the old addage is true, that wealth does not bring happiness, especially when you are all alone. When he runs into his deceased wife's mother, Helen, who has been praying for him all along (even through his apparent death), he begins to experience the love of God that has been with him all along.

Dekker's writing gives us a supposition of what life beyond our world looks like. Unlike Job, with Kent's case, Satan has challenged God again, not that he can turn a righteous man to evil, but that he can keep an unrighteous man from pursuing God. And God takes that challenge head on.

Dekker suggests that we are entertaining angels and demons through the everday occurances of our lives and that they help to guide our decision-making. He further supposes that this battle for the soul of Kent Anthony is not a singular occurance, but that we all are in the midst of a great struggle between good and evil. All that we have to do is open our eyes to that realization. Like Kent, once we see the reality of the world around us, we must reciprocate the passion that God has in His pursuit for us.

My Scripture reading has helped me to become closer to God and to understand Him better. I know that I need Him and that I need ways to connect to Him. It sounds trite, but I realize that in no way can I make it through this life on my own. But to go further, I know that my whole outlook on life can change through reading Scripture and seeking God in prayer. This must be a daily occurance for me, or I find myself running the other direction. I can sense the battle over my own soul. And I know which way I need to fight.