Mere Christianity

               Happy Independence Day!! I guess I’m breaking from tradition here. Lately I have been writing about topics from the Gospel of Jesus Christ that have stood out to me during the week. Today, I am going to just write some thoughts about C. S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity. I have the opportunity of listening to books throughout the day when driving from appointment to appointment. This week I was able to listen to Mere Christianity. What an enjoyable and insightful book it is!

                So, I guess this is sort of a book review, but I want it to be an expression of my beliefs as well. I found Lewis’ assessment and breakdown and description of Christianity to be fascinating. I also found him to be a master of analogies. He was able to describe a principle and then provide an example of how that principle can be outlined or viewed. He touches on everything from sexual morality to faith, hope, and charity.

                I believe that God is our Heavenly Father and like every father, he wants what is best for his children. Now, he has the advantage of being perfect and we have the disadvantage of being imperfect. Lewis talks about the fact that God does not live in the same sense of time as we do. This is an important concept. He has perception that is perfect. He sees the beginning, middle, and end. I am grateful for this, though it is often difficult for me to grasp, as I often want to be over bad things quickly and want good things to last forever. God knows what is best for us and when we turn our lives over to Him, he can and does make so much more of us than we can on our own.

                So, what is God’s goal for us? I believe it to be for us to live with Him and to live as He does. Lewis also addresses this thought. He talks about how God wants us to be “little Christs.” Obviously, we cannot be Jesus Christ, neither should we be Him. But we can become like Him. And the great part, is that we do not have to do it alone. As I turn my life over to Jesus, He helps me to become more like Him. My life can begin to look like his, in the sense that I will do things in a like manner as He does and did.

                But this process of becoming like Christ is not easy. Lewis writes how when we turn our lives over to the Lord, we begin to change. He begins to change us. These changes vary. The best way I can think to describe it, is in Lewis’ own words:

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

I don’t know how to elaborate on that quote very much.  I think it sums up my thoughts on the matter pretty well. I wrote an earlier post about change and mentioned repentance. I think that “knocking the house about” is how repentance changes us. The Lord assists in this process and I am grateful for that help. He loves us. He wants us to have all that he has. The question is, do we want it? I imagine it will be wonderful to be there with Him one day. What’s more, I believe it is wonderful that He helps us now and forever.