You are sitting in an English class for a final exam. The professor places before you a blank sheet of paper and shay you have two hours to write a short story. What do you write? The sheet of paper is blank. The possibilities are limitless as Webster's Dictionary. All you have to do is arrange those 162,000 American words into intelligible sentences and paragraphs to make a non-existent story come to life. In theology we call that "Creatio ex nihilo" ('creation out of nothing'). That is how God created the world.

He is the author of all things. He is the first cause, the starter, and the finisher of everything that exists. All that exists in creation existed first in the mind of God then he commanded it into existence. The story of life and creation goes as he dictates. The story does not unravel itself with a life of its own. There is no such thing as evolution or destiny apart from his design. He is the author. Without him there is no story. It is his story. He is the sole author

The characters in the story don't create the story or do whatever they want. They do what the author dictates. They do not create their own adventures. They depend on the author. He writes the story. They are the actors. It is the author who chooses the characters, their looks, the scenes, the storyline, their adventures, their costumes, and their personalities; he guides even their dialogue. He is the author of all things. When he says the story is over, it is over.

When God calls himself the author and finisher of our faith he means he is sovereign over all. He creates, he decides, he ordains, he chooses, he leads, he directs, and he orchestrates. Nothing is left to chance! Psalm 100:3 states emphatically, "Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture." Paul says that he is sovereign over all and no man can say to him what are you doing. Thus he can affirm to us that he who created all things according to his own will, who guides all history according to his predetermined plan, can also assure our hearts that "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) and again, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6)

There is great value in knowing that the Lord is Author and Finisher. It is not up to our own efforts of devices. "It is God who works in you to will and do his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13) We have a humorous adage, "It is not over until the fat lady sings" referring to the closing of an opera. Yet, the truth is "It is not over until the Author says it is over."