C. S. Lewis believes this to be true, after much sole searching and contemplation so do I.
I
am working my way through my thrift store find “C.S. Lewis readings for reflection and meditation” edited by Walter
Hooper. For the longest time the second
reading entitled The Intolerable
Compliment pg. 20, stumped me. I
could not make sense of the approximately 187 words of this reflection.
The
meditation is from “The Problem of Pain” chapter
3 and starts by positioning human happiness within the following parameters:
- a life spent in worship of the Divine
- a life spent obedient to the Divine and
- a life spent in submission to the Divine
For
the longest time this is as far as I went before my internal challenges stopped
me. Where is free will? My God given right to create my own life to
be self-determined? I do not believe in
a Creator God that wants humanity to be automatons - that equation is devoid of
love and my God is the essence from which all love flows.
C.
S. Lewis anticipated my response and in the next verse says this sounds more
like a “despot” a tyrant than a
loving God. And now comes the part the
stumped me and of which I am not sure I grasp even now.
“Do we suppose that we can do him any good?”
How
does my happiness through worshiping, being obedient to and prostrating myself
to the Divine link to God's good or lack thereof?
Then
understanding started to form just outside my conscious knowing and as I
write this it continues to flicker there.
To understand what Lewis means I reflected on my experience as a parent
and grandparent where I work every day to provide an environment where my
children can find happiness and their happiness or lack thereof does not make
me less of a parent genetics and adoption make me that. God is God nothing I do or don't do changes
that fact, my worship, obedience and supplication to God will result in my
happiness not a greater God.
Lewis
ends by reminding us we are to follow in Christ's example by living a life full
of love, stewardship in all things and servant hood because it brings self-awareness,
mindfulness in all things and yes happiness.
God's
love for us is so encompassing that in every moment of my life God is guiding
me to, providing opportunity for me to know true happiness not for God's glory,
no because God loves me, personally and passionately.
Yes
it is an intolerable complement to know my God loves me that much - Intolerable
and wonderful all at the same time. So I
strive to live a life of worship, obedience and supplication to my creator.
Grandma Snyder
©2013-2014 twosnydergirls
No comments:
Post a Comment