Good morning.
Over the new year holiday, I had some time to take in the new movie about CS Lewis’ personal conversion; a film titled An Unlikely Convert.
It is primarily narration (by an older gentleman) who is a mature believer, though the audience doesn’t find that out until the end. The film did not move as fast I am used to, and that being said it was well worth the discipline of sitting and listening to the narration.
A few things I’ve been pondering from the conclusion:
People are not just a bunch of random molecules, as modern western science had proposed in the early part of the 19th century. Lewis concluded they were more as the Scriptures have detailed; people are thinking and eternal beings made in the likeness and image of God. The scientific approach of “naturalism” allows a person to completely dismiss the spiritual aspects of life.
The only point I want to make out of this is a pretty simple one which goes like this:
God chose people to house his fame.
And, this sort-of puts us in a precarious position. We tend to be selfish and also lean negative especially about others, for not everyone we meet is warm and fuzzy.
Jesus advised a different ethic. He illustrated it’s easy to validate and love those who love us, but he said, “even the pagans do that.”
Jesus was right about that, and it assumes that loving the unlovely is downright difficult.
Needless to say, I’ve been praying for a particular person (not in the church community) and have been praying one prayer:
“God. Please fix this!”
It was funny when the other day who walks into the ATM entrance of my bank, but the person I’d been praying for and suffering over!
We had an unbelievable conversation. And, I thought to myself, “God, this person is eternal, and if you could fix this, I’m pretty sure you can (and You want to) fix many more relationships this year!
In closing, the Apostle Paul writes:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, Phil 3:10.
Paul seems to have hunger to know Christ and participate in his sufferings.
The educated Lewis had learned by the middle of his life to commit to a church community, to not consider himself above others, but to serve others – even the difficult ones.
Help us to do this, Lord.
I’m excited that Joe and the team will be facilitating our worship time this week, and then Doug Wicks will be sharing a message in the “A Thrill of Hope” sermon series.
Hope to see you here on Sunday,
Seth
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