I have been reading Mere Christianity for some time now. Let's just say I have been distracted and now I am determined to finish it. I find that I like the way C. S. Lewis puts the thoughts together. For those who don't know, he started out as an atheist and over time realized that God could not be explained away. He argues that there is proof there is a God.
So that is a VERY brief background, and it really does not do any justice to the man. I want to get to what I read last night. Let me put 2 paragraphs here exactly as they appear. Also realize that you do not have the benefit of the context since you are not currently reading it, but trust me this all makes sense.
"When you come to knowing God, the initiative lies on His side. If He does not show Himself, nothing you can do will enable you to find Him. And, in fact, He shows much more of Himself to some people than to others -- not because he has favourites, but because it is impossible for Him to show Himself to a man whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition. Just as sunlight, though it has no favourites, cannot be reflected in a dusty mirror as clearly as in a clean one.
You can put this another way by saying that while in other sciences the instruments you use are things external to yourself (things like microscopes and telescopes), the instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred -- like the Moon seen through a dirty telescope. That is why horrible nations have horrible religions: they have been looking at God through a dirty lens."
He goes on to suggest that the only real adequate instrument for learning about God is the entire Christian community. So we need to be a community and a body of believers. We need that fellowship and camaraderie to help to reveal God in and through each other. We need to go be the church where there is no church. That made perfect sense to me last night. Wow. People everywhere are deffinitely seeing things through a dirty lens.
Grand Place
Brussels, Belgium
1 comment:
Lost, amoung the vast collection of books that now occupy most of what use to be my garage, is a copy of Mere Christianity. It appears as though it may be worth reading. However, at this point it may be easier just to buy a new copy.
While at Summit, a judge made a request to all those attending. He simply asked for us "not to be a stubling block for him." It made me question myself as to what my biggest block was. This question haunted me for most of that particular day.
The conclusion that I reached was that I am my biggest block. However, that really didn't bother me. I know that I have many areas that God is trying to change in me. When I cause myself to stumble...God will help me up if I ask for his help.
What did bother me was my second biggest stubling block...
Other christians.
You see...when my "worldly friends" (whom I would love to see come to Christ...please pray for that) do offensive things...I'm prepared...I expect it.
But, when another brother or sister does something offesive...it breaks my heart. (I am no exception to this.)
I love the Lord. I see him all around me...sometimes it fills me with joy and other times he brings me to tears...but the one thing I am absolutly sure of...I don't want to see him through a dirty lens.
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