Thursday, June 23, 2011

Faith things: Clive.

I've mentioned before that I'm working my way through A Year with C.S. Lewis: daily readings from his classic works.
It really is a gem. And since I recently reread this classic, I've been even more encouraged to delve into classic Christian works. Their chalk full of wisdom.

Today's reading was just want I needed to hear. 
Isn't that how it always goes?!

We were considering the Christian idea of 'putting on Christ,' or first 'dressing up' as a son of God in order that you may finally become a real son. What I want to make clear is that this is not one among many jobs a Christian has to do; and it is not a sort of special exercise for the top class. It is the whole of Christianity. Christianity offers nothing else at all...
The Christian way is different: harder, and easier. 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 shall become Yours.'
Both harder and easier than what we are all trying to do. You have noticed, I expect, that Christ Himself sometimes describes the Christian way as very hard, sometimes as very easy. He says, 'Take up your Cross'- in other words, it is like going to be beaten to death in a concentration camp. Next minutes he says, 'My yoke is easy and my burden light,' He means both.
-from Mere Christianity

very hard, yet very easy. He means both.

5 comments:

Natalie said...

Love C.S. Lewis! Stumbled across your blog and it's awesome! =D And your dogs... so cute!

Katherine Oliver said...

I have been wanting to read this book! You sharing this excerpt has reinstated the desire.

Mary Nevin said...

beautiful, mere christianity is just one of the best books ever written. i love seeing these posts :)

kylee said...

c.s. lewis is a genius. his words are always so amazing.

Anonymous said...

Have loved CS since I was in elementary school (Narnia) and then fell more in love in high school. Mere Christianity is excellent. I should revisit it.