A Time of War

"I think the art of life consists in tackling each immediate evil as well as we can." - C.S. Lewis - The Weight of Glory

C.S. Lewis says this in a talk titled "Why I am Not a Pacifist." Granted at the time he was talking about a World War. However, there's something to take from this simple statement.

Whether you'd like to admit it or not, or are aware of it or not, we are in a war at the moment. Not the one you may think I'm talking about. This war is beyond America; beyond any country or kingdom on this earth as a matter of fact.

We are all, believer and un-believer, engaged in spiritual warfare. It is a war that has already been won, yet some battles are still needing to be fought. Paul says this in Ephesians,

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph. 6:12)

For the believer, we often wonder why we still struggle, why certain sins keep creeping up on us, tempting us to stumble and stray away from the Truth we know and love. Some battles are still needing to be fought.

Although Miss America may want "world peace," this is not something easily achieved. Battles go on every day. To end an ultimate evil, violence must take place. Bloody violence, the death of loved ones, even the death of One on a cross.

In our struggle with sin we desire for a great victory to end it all. We would be wise to keep in mind this fact; that victory has been won. Our hope in Christ is a hope in something beyond this world and all the struggles that come with it.

Seek obedience today. Tackle each immediate evil as well as you can, clinging to the God of the universe. Although in the end we know who wins, there are still some battles that need to be fought.

"... yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist." 1 Corinthians 8:6

The Real Deal

"The books or the music in which we thought the beauty was located will betray us if we trust to them; it was not in them, it only came through them, and what came through them was longing. These things - the beauty, the memory of our own past - are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself, they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshippers." - C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Often we attempt to get back to a place where a song, a book, an experience, even a relationship made us "feel alive." We mistakenly worship, or "ascribe value" to that thing in our past rather than the Creator of that thing. My wife is quick to remind me that the blessings of the Lord are given to us to draw us to Him. These things and events that He brings into our lives that impact us and touch our hearts are given by the Lord to show us a little piece of eternity.

The reason, however, that we begin to worship these things that are fleeting is because God has put eternity into the heart of man (Ecclesiastes 3:11). There is something inside each of us that draws us to worship something - to ascribe value to something; be it football, music, bands, or the only One deserving of our worship.

Rather than chase after things that are fleeting - things that don't last - which is like chasing after the wind, we should chase after the One who wrote eternity into our hearts. Why chase after something that will eventually fade and disappoint you. Go after the real deal. Everything else turns into dumb idols.

"Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:11

"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12:13

Also read Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, Romans 1:22-25, Hebrews 12:1-2

Losing Yourself

I've been reading through "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis for a while. This quote stuck out to me:

"In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that - and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison - you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you. ... The real test of being in the presence of God is, that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object. It is better to forget about yourself altogether."

If you only see yourself as a small, dirty object compared to God, you miss His grace completely. Though we are small and dirty and completely sinful by nature before the Creator God (Ephesians 2:1-3, Romans 3:23), His desire is that we might be saved by Him and Him alone (1 Timothy 2:4).

Being saved, however, is an invitation to a crucifixion. God will call you to literally "lose yourself altogether." Sometimes this is a painful process; but one that God is doing in us and through us to shape us into the image of our big brother, Jesus (Romans 8:29).

Once we realize our state before God - our small and dirty position - then we can lose ourselves by giving all control of our lives completely over to Him. He gets all control, He refines us, He makes us new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17) and calls us to do great things for His glory (Ephesians 2:10).

It is better to forget about yourself altogether - then you can become your true self, living for God, looking up to Him and out to others.

"... But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." - Mark 10:43-45

"... If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." - Luke 9:23