I'm in the middle of writing a paper on C.S. Lewis for one of my classes, and as part of that, I've been reading Mere Christianity, which is an absolutely WONDERFUL book that y'all should go out and read. As I finished up the book, I came across two quotes that really stuck with me that I'd like to share!
Christ says "Give me All. I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down. I don't want to drill the tooth, or crown it, or stop it, but to have it out. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked--the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours."
Mere Christianity (p. 196-197)
This quote really struck me because of how raw it makes me feel. God isn't okay with my "just a little bit", or even my "almost all of it" that I give Him. He wants ALL of me. And it's not really at a loss to me either, because he will replace all of me, the mostly good and clearly bad of me, with Himself. That's a gift to me, not a sacrifice from me.
"Make no mistake," He says, "if you let me, I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is what you are in for. Nothing less, or other, than that. You have free will, and if you choose, you can push Me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through. Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life, whatever inconceivable purification it may cost you after death, whatever it cost Me, I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect--until my Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He said He was well pleased with me. This I can do and will do. But I will not do anything less."
Mere Christianity (p. 202)
This quote touched on a similar theme. This is what true love looks like. God doesn't want what's best for me right now, He wants what's best for me in the long run, and He will do anything to achieve that. It's hard to imagine someone, even God, living me as much as this quote clearly shows that He does. God's love is unimaginably huge.
I really love quotes like these, where authors use the Bible to construct passages of God speaking directly to us. It's so powerful. Sometimes I forget how personal and real our God is, and passages like these help me be reminded. God is so good. :)
Seriously though, Go read Mere Christianity, it's absolutely worth it. The paperback edition is only $8.46 on Amazon Prime! The book really helped me grow in my faith. It explores a lot of theological discussions I hadn't fully considered and deepened my understanding of God and of the Church. It's really deep, but not in an over-your-head way, but just that every page is full of so much interesting spiritual ideas. It's relatively easy to understand but there's so much to process. I read it slowly (over the course of a few months) and that made it a lot more digestible. Really though, read it, it's great.
I really love quotes like these, where authors use the Bible to construct passages of God speaking directly to us. It's so powerful. Sometimes I forget how personal and real our God is, and passages like these help me be reminded. God is so good. :)
Seriously though, Go read Mere Christianity, it's absolutely worth it. The paperback edition is only $8.46 on Amazon Prime! The book really helped me grow in my faith. It explores a lot of theological discussions I hadn't fully considered and deepened my understanding of God and of the Church. It's really deep, but not in an over-your-head way, but just that every page is full of so much interesting spiritual ideas. It's relatively easy to understand but there's so much to process. I read it slowly (over the course of a few months) and that made it a lot more digestible. Really though, read it, it's great.