NOT A FAN OF PAIN

Nope.

I am a pain wimp.

Last week I had gum surgery.

I was so nervous that I had "The Hub" come into the room with me.

At some point, trying to be encouraging, he said to me, "Just think of it like a vacation."

To which I retorted, "Perhaps a vacation to Death Valley in the middle of the summer, with no water, and a cactus to sleep on."

Later, he also asked if it was possible to put some Novocain into my head so I wouldn't think and worry so much.

To which I (jokingly?!) replied, "I changed my mind.  You can leave the room now."

How I appreciate "The Hub" – he always finds a way to make me laugh in a tough situation!


Let me tell you, the whole procedure was nothing like I expected.  It took a long time, it was very uncomfortable (even with the fun pain-killing shots), and there was so much tugging and pulling and grinding.  A lot of pressure was applied to my teeth and gums – which I realized was a LOT of pressure when the dental assistant placed her hand under my chin and pushed it up to counteract what the dentist was doing.

I kept my eyes closed the entire time.

When it was (finally) over, I breathed the biggest sigh of relief.

So, I'm four days into recovery.  

For the next two weeks, I can only eat soft food, and only chew on one side of my mouth.  Which requires a lot of mental concentration, and an inordinate amount of time to eat, as it's such a habit to chew on BOTH sides. And my mouth doesn't open very wide.  (Maybe I'll lose some weight??)  

Pain, yes, but thankfully it's manageable with some ibuprofen.


But, I tell you what, the whole experience has me thinking about pain.

I know many of your stories out there in Blog Land, and I know that many of you are physically suffering.  Some of you are dealing with chronic pain and life-sapping conditions that refuse to go away.  Some of you are fighting cancer or another debilitating disease.

Some of you are going through painful emotional loss – either through grieving the death of a loved one, or the awful ache of a prodigal child, or the despair of a broken marriage.

Some of you struggle with the agony of unremitting anxiety, or the dark cloud of depression, or some sort of other daunting mental struggle. 

Pain – it takes such a toll.

And, for the believer, there is additional pain – that terrible underlying thought that crosses every honest mind:

"Why does God allow suffering?"

It's a question that's been asked since man was cast out of the Garden.  And it will be asked until all things are made new.  It is a mighty stumbling block for those who do not believe in our Savior.

But it trips us up, too.

I have no real answer – I struggle with it.

I've thrown that question – WHY? – at heaven on more than one occasion.

Haven't you?

But, have you ever thought of pain being a protective mechanism?


Many years ago, I read a wonderful book on this issue of suffering – Philip Yancey's "Where Is God When It Hurts?"

I was particularly impressed with the beginning, when Yancey discusses his time spent with Dr. Paul Brand.

Dr. Brand was a great medical missionary.  And most of his work was concentrated on helping people plagued with leprosy.  He was the first physician to understand that the disease of leprosy did not actually cause the rotting away of tissues.  Rather, he discovered that it was the loss of the sensation of pain that made sufferers susceptible to injury.

He once said,  "If I had the power to eliminate human pain, I would not exercise that right.  Pain's value is too great."

(Dr. Brand also co-authored with Yancey, "Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants" (1993), republished in 1997 as "The Gift of Pain.")


I remember how I used to think that God banishing Adam and Eve from Eden was cruel, mean, heartless – that it was a great punishment.  It took me a long time to finally understand that it was, instead, salvation.

Pain is a sign of God's love. 

(Yes, even as I write that, I am cringing.  It sounds wrong.  But I believe that it is the toughest and best kind of Truth).

You see, pain tells us something is wrong.

C.S. Lewis, in his great treatise on the issue of suffering, "The Problem of Pain," says this:

"Pain insists upon being attended to.  God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains.  It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world."


Yes, perhaps the toughest lesson of all is this – 

God allows pain to accomplish a greater good.

And one of the *greater goods* is knowing that something is, indeed, wrong in our lives.  And this *wrong* can only be made right by the righteousness of a Savior.

Tough love – but Love still the same.


However, and this is my opinion, I think it's all right to tell Him the truth when we communicate with Him about our pain.

I think it's OK to be angry, or disappointed, or frustrated, or sad, or afraid, or disillusioned, or even crushed and broken.

Recently I was part of a Bible Study that studied the life of David.  And I was particularly moved by the whole passage when Uzzah was killed for touching the Ark.

I know all the "biblically correct" reasons that this happened.

But what I found most interesting was David's reaction.  The Bible states it this way:

"David was angry because the LORD's anger had burst out against Uzzah…David was now afraid of the LORD, and he asked, 'How can I ever bring the Ark of the LORD back into my care?'"  (2 Samuel 6:8-9)


David, who thought he was doing a good thing, and who was praising the Lord for His goodness, stunningly encountered pain.

And he reacted with anger and fear.

But at this moment, David was presented with a choice.  He was at a crossroads in his faith journey.

Would he turn away from, or would he turn toward God?

Would he abandon the Lord, or would he instead abandon his preconceived notions about the issue of suffering?

David had to move beyond devastation.


When we are confronted with blazing pain and suffering, we need to do the same thing.

We need to understand that there is something far more important than having a feel-good life.

God wants us to BE good.

Like His Son.

Who, thankfully, also struggled with pain.

And questioned it…twice.

(I have a feeling that His conversation with God was much longer than this. But Scripture records Him asking twice for God to change His mind.  I love that.  It gives me permission to question, too – more than once!)

"And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire'...Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, 'My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.'" 
(Matthew 26:39, 42,  AMP)


Questioning, yes – turning away, no.

Begging for relief, yes – spurning the purpose, no.

Pleading for another way, yes – disobedience, never.


So, in our dearest Savior Jesus we have the example of how to deal with our pain.

I believe we are allowed to not like it, to wrestle against it, to struggle with accepting it.  

I think we are invited to be completely honest with our Creator.  Not disrespectful, but straightforward…

"Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with fullest confidence…" (Hebrews 4:16, PHILLIPS)


Other translations say "boldly approach."

And why can we do that?

Because of Jesus.

The word "therefore" means "for that reason; consequently."

Example – This is true, therefore we can do this other thing.

And the beginning *true* is this:

We have Jesus – our High Priest – who understands it all – who has passed through the worst sort of pain – and entered into glorious reward.

We can follow His humble example through suffering – (not liking one single moment) –  for a greater good – (our transformation) – and one day enter into our eternal reward.


Pain hurts so bad, Lord.

Help us, we pray, through the struggle.

Tools of the Trade 

"Then the LORD God said, 'Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil.  What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it?  Then they will live forever!'  So the LORD God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made." (Genesis 3:22-23, NLT)

But man was only sent to till the ground out of which he was taken.  He was sent to a place of toil, not to a place of torment.  Our first parents were shut out from the privileges of their state of innocency, yet they were not left to despair.  The way to the tree of life was shut.  It was henceforward in vain for him and his to expect righteousness, life, and happiness, by the covenant of works; for the command of that covenant being broken, the curse of it is in full force: we are all undone, if we are judged by that covenant.  God revealed this to Adam, not to drive him to despair, but to quicken him to look for life and happiness in the promised Seed, by whom a new and living way into the holiest is laid open for us." -- (From Matthew Henry's Commentary)

"...he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them." (Isaiah 19:20, NIV)

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11, ESV)

"For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.  Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]." (Hebrews 4:15-16, AMP)

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:17, NIV)

"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:6-7, NIV)

What are you going to do at the crossroads of suffering?

Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, REFLECT LINKUP, WORDS WITH WINTER, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, MOM 2 MOM MONDAY, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, SOLI DEO GLORIA, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, RA RA LINKUP, WOMEN HELPING WOMEN, TELL HIS STORY, A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WHOLEHEARTED WEDNESDAY, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WISE WOMAN, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, THE (NOT JUST) HOMEMAKING PARTY, BELOVED BREWS,  EVERYDAY JESUS, GRACE AT HOME, SHINE, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, HEARTS FOR HOME, UNITE, LOOKING UP LINKUP, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, JOYHOPELIVE LINKUP, SATURDAY SOIREE, STILL SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, TGI SATURDAYS, LIVING PROVERBS, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

HERE'S TWITCHIN' AT YOU - GRRR!

OK, I had a really hard time getting to church this week.

The alarm went off – (about ½ an hour before I had to get up – not a morning person!) – and I started to wrestle with myself.

Inner dialogue:

"The Hub" isn't going this week, so it's all right if I stay home, too."

"I went to Bible Study on Tuesday."

"I have to drive down to see my mom tomorrow, and I don't want to start out tired."

"I have a headache, more sleep would help."

"God will understand."


Maybe it was that last argument that convinced me to get up and get dressed and get going.

Once there, I decided to do something different this week.

I sat in the second row with a friend of mine from Bible Study!

She said she liked to sit up there because it kept her from being distracted by other people and other things happening around her.  Sounded like a good reason to me.

So yes, I broke out of my little mold, and ventured to the front of the sanctuary!  

Settled in, I was READY for church.


We begin our service with announcements, and then we have a time of singing.

OK, so now I discover some of the reasons why I do not sit in the front. For one thing, the music is really loud.  Which was distracting.  And then, I started to *inspect* the worship team.

New inner dialogue:

"I really like his boots.  Black, clunky.  I wish they made something like that for women."

"Wonder whose kid that is on guitar?"

"How loud are the drums behind that plexiglass?"

"I think I can see through her skirt.  Wait, no, just a trick of the light."

"The communion table looks handmade.  Wonder who did that…"


Oops!

Back to concentrating on the songs.

"I wonder if people are looking at my back.  Do they think I'm fat?"

Back to music.

"Huh, I never noticed those speakers at the bottom of the platform. Or are those heat registers?"

Music, Sharon.


So, you get the picture.  My mind was wandering, rambling.  Roaming around like a hapless hobo stuck on the Trivia Train.  

Then it came time for the sermon.

Determined to stop this crazy meandering, I pulled out my Bible, opened my notebook, put on my reading glasses, clicked my ballpoint pen, and got into my *pious listener posture.*

And then it happened…

A stupid eye twitch in my left eyebrow.

You know what I'm talking about.  Those annoying little tics that wiggle of their own accord.  Sorta like face hiccups.  So, I tried to rub it – no good.  I tried to wiggle my eyebrow up and down – nope.  I even gave it a few little punches – absolutely no good.

Twitching continued.

Now, I might just insert here a moment of praise.  I was thankful that it was my eyebrow, and not my eyelid, that was doing the twitching.  Could you imagine if every time the pastor said something wonderful, I winked at him???

"Amen, Pastor!  (Wink, wink…)"


I looked up this ridiculous phenomenon.

"Although the cause is generally unknown, it may be associated with:

Fatigue, Stress, Caffeine."

(Which is totally weird, as I wasn't tired (HA), stressed (puh-leeze), or jacked up on caffeine, (*chai tea latte – 4 out of 5 on the caffeine scale*).

"This minor form of twitch is painless and harmless.  It usually goes away on its own.  But it can be quite annoying."  

(Which is perhaps the understatement of the week).


Let me say, the sermon was powerful, captivating, and encouraging.

And I managed to take notes and let it all sink in – despite my twitching.

But when I got home, I started to ponder a bit.

I remember reading "The Screwtape Letters," by C. S. Lewis.  Basically, the book is a series of letters written by a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew Wormwood, a junior tempter.  After the second letter, the Patient (of Wormwood) converts to Christianity, and Wormwood is chastised for allowing this.

However, Screwtape assures Wormwood that all is not lost.

Though the Patient is lost to them for eternity, they can still render him ineffective.  They can still use him in their battle against the Enemy.

(Interestingly enough, The Enemy of the enemy of our souls is our Friend, God!)

I particularly remember one scene when the Patient is in church, and Screwtape advises Wormwood to keep him distracted.


Yes, the battle against distractions.

C. S. Lewis once said, "Pain insists upon being attended to.  God…shouts in our pains.  It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world." ("The Problem of Pain")

So I wonder…

Does the devil whisper in distraction?

Does he tap our shoulders lightly through irritation and aggravation?

Does he nudge us from behind over countless frustrations and interruptions?


Most of us will recognize a full-frontal assault.  We know when the devil has unleashed a nuclear bomb attack – illness, death, financial setbacks, etc.

But, it seems to me that he is just as content to use a peashooter.

The incessant onslaught of the countless little distractions that, well, distract us.  It is a very effective weapon.

Screwtape encourages Wormwood to attack his patient's peevishness.  To keep him getting easily irritated by unimportant and insignificant things – the sort of things that can slowly undermine endurance, purpose, and faith.

"Indeed, the safest road [is]…the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." ("The Screwtape Letters")

Like the steady drip of a leaky faucet – this strategy can be very effective.

Especially when we are thinking about the Lord – during church or Bible Study, while reading the Bible, while praying…

"When this, or any other distraction, crosses his mind you ought to encourage him to thrust it away by sheer will power and to try to continue...as if nothing had happened; once he accepts the distraction as his present problem and lays that before the Enemy and makes it the main theme of his prayers and his endeavours, then, so far from doing good, you have done harm." ("The Screwtape Letters") 


For yes, indeed, a small rivulet can one day become the torrent that carves a canyon.

And small distractions can subtly lead us away from what matters most – until we find ourselves far, far away.

If we ever kept track of our daily distractions – (don't, it's too distracting!) – but if we did, we'd find that our minds are flitting all over the place most of the time.

And therein is the trap.

What is the devil trying to accomplish by keeping us irritated with interruptions and intrusions on *our* time?

How does he use what Screwtape called "the pressures of the ordinary" to keep us away from the influence of God?

How can the *familiar* breed contempt in our hearts, and the *mundane* blind us to the miraculous?

In what ways are we susceptible to diabolical influence by the use of "the sort of minor but menacing distractions that can slowly undermine the patient's faith"?


These are good things to ponder.

For indeed, the Christian life is full of distractions.  We are often beset by the ordinary moments of being human, blinded by the drudgery of the here-and-now, and burdened with the menial and mundane. 

It all serves to render us ineffective.

Discouraged and defeated.

Saved for eternity, but perhaps no earthly good.


Brothers and sisters, we cannot become complacent in this battle.

For the journey of faith is one of FOCUS.

Intentional, prayerful, Holy-Spirit-enabled determination to live our lives to the glory of God.

Sure, the Narrow Way is sometimes impeded by boulders – but more often than not, it's just littered with pebbles.

And stubbed toes can waylay us just as easily as a broken leg.

Maybe even more effectively – for a "major injury" can sideline us, force us to stop and take stock of what we're doing (or not doing).  Minor "injuries" can sidetrack us.

And we must not be deterred.

For we are called to be actively and single-mindedly focused on Kingdom purposes.

We are called to do battle, waging war against an enemy who has already been conquered, fighting side-by-side with a Savior who has already won our victory.

We must always remember that our minds, our thoughts are a battleground.

We must be canny to the weapon of distraction, and how mightily (and insidiously) this weapon is used against us.

And we must remember that the devil will do anything and everything – big and small – to keep our eyes off of Jesus.


We must be alert and aware.


Do you know that my twitching eye is gone now?  It probably stopped as soon as I walked out of church.  A distraction no longer needed.

But trust me, there will be more.

More today, and more every day until we go home.

For we belong to "The Enemy"– (as Screwtape calls God) – of the enemy of our souls.

And he is not happy about that.

To which I say...

"Good."



Dear Wormwood and Screwtape,

We are aware of your efforts on behalf of your Father Below.  We know that he is a subtle enemy, more often than not preferring an understated attack than a full-frontal assault.  We know that you work tirelessly to distract us from our focus on your Enemy, our Lord.  And we know that we are powerless to fight against you alone.  But, we know what you're up to – we're onto your schemes.  And, praise God, by His wisdom we will not be fooled, and by His strength we will overcome.

By the way, you're already defeated.  Tell that to your leader.  

Remind him of the Cross.

Never yours…truly,
A believer

Don't mind me.

Not winking,
just twitching.

(Wink, wink...) 

"So all of you who are holy partners in a heavenly calling, let's turn our attention to Jesus, the Emissary of God and High Priest, who brought us the faith we profess..." (Hebrews 3:1, VOICE)

"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it.  Because he never lost sight of where he was headed..." (Hebrews 12:2, MSG)

"Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]." (Hebrews 12:1-2, AMP)

"I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven." 

(Psalm 123:1, NIV))

"I keep my eyes always on the Lord.  With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken." (Psalm 16:8, NIV)

"But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge...Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers, from the snares they have laid for me." (Psalm 141:8-9, NIV)

"You have said, 'Seek my face.'  My heart says to you, 'Your face, LORD, do I seek.'" (Psalm 27:8, ESV)

What *distractions* is the enemy using in your life to avert you from following Jesus?

Linked with:

SHARING HIS BEAUTY, PLAYDATES WITH GOD, SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, GRATEFUL HEART MONDAY, REFLECT LINKUP, WORDS WITH WINTER, MOM 2 MOM MONDAY, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, UNITE, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, FIND STABILITY, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, TELL IT TO ME TUESDAYS, RA RA LINKUP, TELL HIS STORY, WHOLEHEARTED HOME WEDNESDAY,  A LITTLE R & R WEDNESDAYS, WAITING ON WEDNESDAY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, WOMEN WITH INTENTION WEDNESDAYS, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, BELOVED BREWS, EVERYDAY JESUS, GRACE AT HOME, SHINE, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, THE (NOT JUST) HOMEMAKING PARTY, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, HEARTS FOR HOME, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, LIGHT FRIDAY HIT LIST, FELLOWSHIP FRIDAY, LOOKING UP LINKUP, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, COUNTING MY BLESSINGS, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, FAITH & FELLOWSHIP, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, TGI SATURDAYS, SATURDAY SOIREE, STILL SATURDAY, WEEKEND BREW, SUNDAY STILLNESS, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

MY FAVORITE AUTHOR

The first time I heard about C.S. Lewis was when I was about 22. 

I was at a summer College camp. 

I've been a Christian all my life. But I'd always felt a little bit guilty because I never FELT the horror of the crucifixion. I had head knowledge that it was awful, and I believed it (and all that it stood for) with my whole heart. 

But it hadn't reached my emotions. 

One night, at that college camp, the speaker told us the story of Aslan - and he told us how Aslan had been taunted, shamed, humiliated - how his majestic mane had been shorn. When he was done, I was in tears. 

I FELT the tremendous depth of what Jesus' death had been like.

I ran out, got a boxed set of The Chronicles of Narnia, and read them all in a week.

They changed my life.

I loved the books themselves, yes, but there was something else at work.  The Spirit of God was speaking to me deeply.  I suppose that The Chronicles touched my life in such a profound way because their message "snuck up on me."

God used delightful stories to teach me inner truths.

Sometimes without realizing it, I learned a Biblical lesson through a particular character.  Was I desiring "Turkish delight" in my own life?  Was I falling under an enchanted trance?  Was I starting to doubt that Aslan was real?  Was I questioning His methods?  Did I really and truly, completely and fully, trust a God who "wasn't safe?"  

And did I believe that He was good?

I loved all the books, but my favorite was probably The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  And here's the reason why – I really related to Eustace becoming a dragon.  Because, after all, aren't we all really *dragons* in some way?  

We're all sinners.  And like Eustace, we can't save ourselves.  

I thought about how often I had tried to "scratch the scales off" in my own life.  How I tried to make myself "good enough," or tried to do *better* – or how many times I promised to be a more "faithful" Christian.  

All to no avail.  I was still a dragon.

I related to Eustace's sense of frustration and sadness – his discouragement and defeat.

And then, he met Aslan – Aslan who showed up – Aslan who cared.  

When Eustace describes that first moment when Aslan starts to remove the scales, I felt his pain.  That's what Jesus asks of us.  To be true disciples, we must die to self, we must experience that tearing at our souls - we must yield to the cleansing claw of a Savior.  

And yet, what freedom afterwards!!  

We are made human again – the way we were supposed to be in the first place.  

Children of the Lion!

Reepicheep is one of my favorite Narnians.

Why?  For one, he is little.  I've always been short, so I relate.  But I also just LOVE an underdog character that has a warrior's heart.  

I want to be like Reepicheep – brave, valiant, full of faith – armed to the teeth with God's armor – and ready to fight in any battle to defend the cause of the Gospel.  He stands as my faithful example.  To be a follower of Aslan – no matter what – until I meet Him face to face.

I've read most of what C.S. Lewis has written.

I would encourage you to read his books, if you haven't yet discovered him.

And if you have, read some of his stuff that you haven't read before! Each book brings meaning and practical knowledge to the reader.  

However, Lewis' greatest contribution to Christianity, in my opinion, is that he turns people toward the heart of Jesus, our Aslan.  

He inspires love, commitment, courage, and faith – to a God who isn't safe, but He's good…


GOD BLESS – and Aslan lives!!



Who is your favorite Christian author?  How have they influenced your spiritual journey?


Linked with Joan at the GRACE CAFE


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR

I am in love with a renegade.

A maverick.

An outlaw.

Yes, I love "The Hub" dearly – and he would undoubtedly fill those categories. We tease him all the time that he should have been born in 1854. He's a whole lot of Jeremiah Johnson (the consummate mountain man), a touch of Butch Cassidy, with a liberal sprinkling of Virgil Earp in there…

But he's not the one I'm talking about.

I'm talking about Jesus.

I just finished reading a wonderful book (in my humble opinion) called "Beautiful Outlaw" by John Eldredge.

Eldredge talks about the very real Jesus that we encounter in the Gospels. Let me tell you, THAT Jesus is not the Jesus that the world thinks they know. Eldredge subtitles his book, "Experiencing the playful, disruptive, extravagant personality of Jesus."

Doesn't that sound delicious?

You know, to me, if you don't know the true Person of Jesus, then the real meaning of the Incarnation kinda fades. It will become just a nice picture of a cherubic baby who came into the world, meek and mild – only to grow up into a Jesus who was a kind and gentle man, who sweetly taught people "good lessons."

If you don't know the true Person of Jesus, you only know a two-dimensional cardboard imitation of the real thing.

Listen to what Eldredge says:

"Reading the Gospels without knowing the personality of Jesus is like watching television with the sound turned off."

Yeah, Jesus on mute.

This book has me pondering…especially at this time of year.

Exactly WHO was born in that manger??

Not a wimp, that's for sure. Not someone boring. Not someone easy.

If you read the Gospels, Jesus is someone wonderful. He is exciting and unpredictable. He hates the status quo. He angers the "religious" and loves sinners. He is sometimes clever, sometimes sarcastic. He is always intelligent. He doesn't fit into any stereotype.

He is dynamic and charismatic – and quite honestly, a bit unmanageable.

I like that in a Savior, don't you?

Compelling.

I have lately been gripped by a new fervor for the Person of Jesus – it's overtaking me. I have been captured by the Son of God – real, uncontainable, thrilling.

I am reminded of a scene in the book "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" (from C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia). One of the children, Lucy, has never met Aslan (the Lion who is Jesus). Listen to this conversation:

"Is he – quite safe?" [asks Lucy].

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good."

Later, Mr. Beaver also says this: "He's wild, you know. Not like a tame lion."

You know, I love a rodent who speaks the truth!

So, you see, as I think about that baby in the manger, I'm taking a new look at exactly what happened there, and exactly who was born. Yes, it happened quietly, only in the presence of Mary and Joseph, in an obscure and lonely, dirty and dingy place.

But oh! God might as well have hurled a cosmic thunderbolt to earth!

A comet of salvation slammed into earth that moment, and life would never be the same again. The dark and lonely world had been struck with the Lord of Light, and Satan's kingdom had been invaded. Look out – the Almighty Son of God took His first breath, and Life itself began!

I'm sure the heavens shook.

It just gives me goosebumps.

Now, the enemy does his best to keep the real Person of Jesus hidden from us. The enemy tries to convince us that Jesus is weak, uncaring, restrictive – or worse yet, totally irrelevant.

No, no, no.

I will not listen to those particular lies.

The Jesus who was born in the manger came to upend the world's value system. He came to revolutionize the human heart. He came to love mankind in an impossibly sacrificial way.

He came to turn ME inside out – to interrupt MY agenda, to challenge MY goals, to disturb MY comfort – to shape and mold and prune and knead.

He came to give me HIS life.

I don't know about you, but THAT'S the Jesus I love and want to follow.

The Jesus who was born in the manger is a hero…

Do you know the REAL Jesus deep in your heart? Has He lit your life on fire?

(I would also recommend this book, along the same lines: "The Jesus I Never Knew" by Philip Yancey. Of course, there is no better place to meet the real Jesus than in the pages of God's Word.)

It's time for Joan's GRACE CAFE - come on over and join us!

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"