Themes of the Trilogy: the Seed
When winter blasts the snow and flings
Its icy winds to gloat o'er spring,
Are flowers daunted by the wait,
Or seedlings fearful of their fate?
1 Corinthians 13:13 is the inspiration for the poem from which this excerpt comes. In it, Paul lists faith, hope, and love as the three things which will remain forever. As I briefly discussed in a previous post, I wove these themes into the very fiber of Tiding Bearer Trilogy. So, let’s take a look at the first of those eternal principles: faith.
Most Christians are familiar with the Biblical definition of faith from Hebrews 11:1 as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The chapter goes on to list the deeds of many faithful men and women, saying of Sarah that she received the blessing of her son Isaac “because she judged Him faithful who had promised” (verse 11).
God’s immutable character and steadfast promises are the rock where faith anchors itself, the soil in which the seed grows.
An unshakable certainty about Who God is and what He says is the foundation of a believer’s faith, and the Tiding Bearer Trilogy showcases it in three big ways: the Giver’s pledges, His immutable character, and His transforming power.
Faith in the Pledges
In Gift of the Tiding Bearer, Doran receives a valuable sword crafted by the Giver’s power and inscribed with His pledge (found in Isaiah 41:10). For a crippled and abused slave from a region where might makes right, the pledge promising its holder victory and strength means a chance at a life Doran has only ever dreamed of. At first the sword seems to give him a courage he’s never known before—a magic charm subduing the terror that constantly threatens to swallow him.
But when the fear returns, more consuming than ever, Doran, Mavis, and Errol must all choose whether they still believe the Giver’s pledge, or if the destruction and darkness all around them is the true reality.
Gift of the Tiding Bearer, p.326
As Christians, we’re called to make the same decision. The Bible is filled with glorious promises of the goodness and light believers may experience in their lives, and even more in the one to come, but our world is a ceaseless barrage of despair and heartache. Who do we believe when everything is on the line, and nothing is as it seems? This is when we must cling to the unseen evidence of His word, and cast ourselves upon the substance of our hope: Jesus’ loving heart.
Faith in the Giver’s Character
Throughout the trilogy, Mavis, Doran, and Errol learn to believe the Giver’s pledges, and to trust His heart. Believing Him to be truthful, they overcome the lies of His arch-enemy; believing Him to be powerful, they claim mighty victories in impossible circumstances; and believing Him to be forgiving, they learn to extend their own second chance to those who mistreat them.
But as a certain cynical mentor is fond of reminding them, “Victory does not always present as triumphant marches and pockets full of enemy spoils.” Sometimes, believers are left with very real questions and overwhelming doubts.
Song of the Tiding Bearer, p. 283
Each one of us is faced with the question: do we believe God is good regardless of circumstances? Song of the Tiding Bearer thoroughly examines this question with its emphasis on the theme of hope, but faith and hope are inextricably linked, as their very definition proves. We hope because our faith grabs hold of a reality yet to come, and a loving Savior that will never let us go.
Faith in a New Identity
By the climax of the trilogy in Heart of the Tiding Bearer, the heroes have gained an unshakable faith in the Giver’s pledges and faithful character, but even these essential elements are ineffective if they refuse to believe what the Giver says about them.
Doran struggles to accept his role as a tiding bearer, feeling unworthy of such an honor after his years of abuse at the hands of General Isambard have destroyed his self image. The question of his true identity—worthless slave or victorious tiding bearer—make up the heart of his character arc.
Mavis wrestles with how to put her beliefs as a tiding bearer into practice while maintaining her status as heiress to her family’s vast coastal fortune. Confident that the Giver’s truth could transform her world, but reluctant to give up the wealth and power that are her birthright, she’s left to make a heart-rending choice when it becomes obvious that the two lives can’t coexist.
Errol constantly doubts his place in the Giver’s service and sinks into despair, overcome by an ever-growing record of failures. But never one to give up easily, he throws himself into his work as a tiding bearer, determined to prove his value and live up to the Giver’s expectations. Throughout Heart, Errol seeks a solution to the greatest crisis Tenebra has ever faced, willing to go to any lengths to save the kingdom. Yet still he wonders: is even his greatest sacrifice enough to make up for his mistakes?
Heart of the Tiding Bearer, p. 56
Errol must choose, as must all believers, to accept not only the Giver’s forgiveness, but also His power to pull a new creation from the ashes of the old.
Faith challenges us to take God at His word, find assurance in the goodness of His character, and rest in the new identity we gain through Christ. Faith will endure forever—long after everyone forgets about Doran, Errol, Mavis, Jasper, Dara, and all the rest. Faith is a mighty oak hidden in a trusting seed, resting in the confidence of Spring’s warm rescue.
Until next time, stay kind, curious, and courageous. <3 <3 <3