Begin your time together answering the question “Who is your most valued mentor?“ How has this person made a significant impact on your life?
Believing that she has let her feelings get in the way of her job, and that her work is essentially complete, Raina goes to “The Counselor“ with a letter of resignation. The Counselor has other things in mind, though, and has tea ready at the edge of the canyon. She goes into great detail explaining the spectrum of light seen with the sun on the horizon, explaining everything has to be in the right place at the right time, just like Raina. She says it has been a difficult week for everyone, and that Raina doesn’t have to say anything, she just enjoys her company. Using the blind and deaf newborn rabbit as a metaphor, she explains that the rabbit must get “passive immunity“ from it’s mother, just like we too, must get our immunity to destruction from God. Because of the Prince’s sacrifice, our pardon is available, but we have to choose it. Although Raina worries about her feelings getting in the way of her record keeping, the Counselor says it is because she feels things so deeply that she is valued. Her work is not done. We learn that the reports must be studied and discussed by all, including civilizations not yet created. We must all have the opportunity to decide if Administration is fair. There must be no risk of this ever happening again. In fact, Raina has been chosen. The Prince is on His way to her office. The choice is hers, the Counselor states; “You are the apple of my eye.“ Stunned, Raina asks, “Are you sure?“ The persistent reply? “I AM.“
1. What is the meaning of the opening quote: “List my tears on your scroll—are they not in your record?“
2. Who is the Counselor? What is his or her purpose?
3. What is special about the rabbit? How are humans the same?
4. What does the Counselor mean when she calls Raina the apple of her eye?
5. The Counselor says, “We do this because we cannot risk this ever happening again.“ What is she referring to? What do they “do“? What cannot happen again?
6. The Counselor tells Raina that it is not over yet. When, according to her, will it be over?
7. What do you think the will the end look like?
8. When the counselor responds to Raina’s question of “Are you sure?“, why do you think her response—“I AM“—resounds through the canyon?
1. Have you ever felt like Raina, that you are perhaps not cut out do the job you’re doing? How can you know if you are on the right path?
2. Has your understanding of heaven and God changed recently?
3. How do you feel about the variety of ways God has been portrayed throughout The Record Keeper? How do you imagine God?
4. Do you think you are the apple of God’s eye?
It is so easy to feel inadequate, like we are either unnecessary or unhelpful. One of the greatest challenges we face is to see our own worth, the worth that God has bestowed on us. Our value is determined, not by our production or our looks, but by the One willing to pay the price for us. Take some time to pray that you could begin to see yourself the way God sees you.