“It is Reason herself that teaches us not to rely on Reason only…our abstract conception of God cannot be supplied by Reason: she will be the first to tell you to go and try experience.” C.S. Lewis People told me if I gave up sugar I would think more clearly, as if a fog would be lifted and everything would become clear. I was skeptical about this, but I gave up sugar anyway for health reasons. Surprisingly, after sugar withdrawals of about five to six days, I experienced the effects. It felt as if I had taken off tinted glasses and was seeing differently, both in thought and judgement. A similar thing happened when I came to know Jesus personally. People told me although my circumstances would not likely change overnight, I would feel lighter, less weighed down by my troubles…I would be joyful, I would feel loved. After I genuinely gave up trying to control my life and turned it all over to Jesus, I no longer felt alone. I felt the companion of a guiding Light. All these analogies—fog, tinted glasses, lighter, loved, not alone, guiding light—were all only attempts to describe something that is indescribable. Words fail me when I try to explain a relationship with someone I can’t see or touch, and who can only be heard in my heart and mind, but not my ears. It would be like trying to describe the fourth dimension (omnipresence)…I can’t fully understand it so how can I describe it. In both cases, however, I needed to make a commitment in order to see the results described. I could not give up sugar except for my morning cereal. And I could not accept who Jesus is and still hold onto skeptical notions in case it wasn’t true. Neither of them would work without leting go of reason and genuinely experience it for myself. (The difference between experiencing sugar-free and God is, I can always eat sugar again but I can never un-know God once I've met Him.)
Are you trying to reason that God is real? Are you trying to reason that all that is said about God could not possibly be true? When are you going to personally experience it for yourself? (*) Lord, thank You for greeting me spirit-to-spirit even though I only had the smallest measure of faith in the beginning. Amen “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” Psalm 34:8 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), British novelist, poet, academic, literary critic, lay theologian, lecturer and Christian apologist. He held academic positions at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities (1925-63). Although most all of his published works (in four genres) are still in print, he is best known for The Screwtape Letters, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Space Trilogy, Mere Christianity, Miracles, and The Problem of Pain. (*) A simple prayer, said with a sincere heart without reservation, is all it takes to meet God. An example might be: God, I don’t understand all about you or your son Jesus, but I want to! I give up trying to control my life…I’ve made a mess of it on my own, making all sorts of mistakes. I want to follow your lead all my life and try to live in a way that is pleasing to you, but I need your help. Please come into my life, forgive my mistakes, and be my Friend, my Savior and Lord. If you just prayed this prayer, feel free to contact me at [email protected] for support and encouragement.
1 Comment
Joyce Kearney
1/24/2017 10:16:12 am
Libby, this is great! I haven't taken the time to go into your archives, but I love the way last week and this week have got me thinking. This week, I'm remembering conversations I had with one of my professors who had once been a minister. He let his focus change from faith to reason and now identifies himself as an agnostic. Unfortunately, he thought faith had to perfectly support reason in order to be valid. Your entry today is a good reminder that faith comes from God and therefore cannot be measured by human thought. Joyce
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WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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