Why now do we write?

What's the point of writing? I'm not asking that question because I'm depressed or anything. But seriously, stop and think for a moment. What's the point? This isn't an idle question, our Lord desires that we devote everything to Him. Including our writing. If we're going to devote everything to Him, then we need to think about why we are writing in the first place . 

Our first answer might be that it's fun. Unless writing puts us in danger of sin, this is a legitimate answer. God created fun for a reason. It's meant to help us relax; it gives us a different environment to worship in and helps us prepare ourselves to serve Him. But... I don't think the point of writing is that it's fun. I mean yes. Writing can be fun. It's amazingly enjoyable. But that's not why we write. Anyone who has had to slog through that one chapter that they really didn't want to write, knows that writing is not always enjoyable. If we're going to be writers we need a deeper purpose then that. 

Then there's Tolkien's explanation. He believed that in writing we are imitating our Creator by 'creating', or rather 'sub-creating' entire imaginary worlds. And this is true. Just like a child imitates his Daddy by putting on a suit and tie and pretending he's a 'grown-up', we imitate out Father by creating imaginary worlds; just as our Father creates real ones. Tolkien did indeed put his finger on one of the reasons for writing, but not the only reason for writing. Because imitation has it's limitations. A child might put on his Daddy's suite but he's never going to be hired by any major cooperation. 

We cannot create like God can, we are limited to mixing and matching the things that he has placed in this universe. None of our writing is original. It all stems from God's provident creation. This adds a different dimension to writing. Not only do we create worlds ourselves, but we reflect the world that He has created. When God creates, He creates truth. When we create, we reflect the truth that God created in the first place.

So that's the real core of why we write. We don't write in order to create truth, but discover it. Our writing is meant to reflect the pure and absolute truth about the world that God, Himself originally created. Truly we are given a great honour. To be able to write about the creation of the Living God!