Friday, February 01, 2008

Thanks Mr. Lewis!

I always enjoy reading C.S. Lewis. The Chronicles of Narnia are one of my favorite book series. I have read some of Lewis' other writings, but not as much as I would like to. About 2 years ago, Andrea and I purchased A Year With C.S. Lewis, which provides a reading from Lewis for everyday of the year. It's similar to a devotional, but with no Scripture reading. I really enoyed yesterday's reading (January 31).

"This is my endlessly recurring temptation; to go down to that Sea (I think St. John of the Christ called God a sea) and there neither dive nor swim nor float, but only dabble and splash, careful not to get out of my depth and holding on to the lifeline which connects me with my things temporal."

Andrea loves to go to the beach. Naturally, I go with her. But we go for different reasons. She goes with the purpose of laying in the sand and soaking up the sun. I go to the beach to relax, eat, swim in the ocean, and eat some more. I can't imagine going to the beach and not jumping in the ocean with reckless abandon. I want the waves to crash over me and to swim where I can't touch the bottom. Yet there are those who go to the beach and never get wet.

In the passage, C.S. Lewis is describing our tendencies as humans. We can come to the Sea that is God; Vast, powerful, and teeming with life, yet we are often content to just get our toes wet rather than diving in deep in our relationships with God. We become comfortable, not wanting to venture further in our walk with God. Yet God's vastness is there for us to explore, to comtemplate, and to experience.

I see this in my own life. I have many excuses for it; I'm too busy, I'm too tired, I'm too comfortable, and the list goes own. There is a part of me that is bored with this 'toe in the water' faith and I want to be able to swim out to where I can't touch the bottom and allow waves of God's love, mercy, grace, and power to sweep over me.

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