So far I have enjoyed the references to nationalism, and his opinions on political servitude, and society that he has made so far. I also found his opinion on giving in chapter three eye opening, and convicting when he says, " If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small." I wonder how upsetting this would make some American believers to hear before taking up offering in a church service(if I had heard it in such a setting I might have left that church). I also enjoyed his insights on repentance in Chapter 4 para. 9.
I like how he insists on Christians bringing their worldview into every area of life and work, that it isn't the clergy that is supposed to make political change, but rather Christian statesmen and politicians affecting change in their area of influence.
I imagine his section on charity and giving will make just about any Christian squirm a little. It is quite the statement to claim that if your giving doesn't inconvenience you, it's likely not enough. That's pretty intense.
Did you agree with his description of repentance? That repentance is a description of what going back to God is like?
Where to start? Too much good stuff in these pages and I don't have my brain organized enough to share concisely 🙃
So, I'll just share the biggest gut punch I had, which so neatly tucked itself between the end of ch 2 and beginning of ch 3 👊
Lewis had just written, "... there will be every occasion for being the sort of people that we can become only as the result of doing such acts here."
-- "Do our developed virtues truly transfer over into heaven?" I thought. "Of course they do!" -- my inner dialog lol
Pretty convicting to recognize I am not often thinking about how I live for my next life. I just think of the here and now, the cause and effect my choices have on earth. How can I change my thinking to be heaven-focused?
Little ideas popped into my mind: change my morning routine to better focus on God, read that study book I haven't started yet, finish memorizing that passage in Deuteronomy, the list went on.
But then chapter 3 started and slapped me back into the reality I needed 😅
"Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities ... people need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed."
I don't need to add more things to my already earth-focused, too-busy life (though that may be helpful for some).
I already have more knowledge than I'll ever use (I would argue that anyone studying CS Lewis is in this same bucket).
Another book, another podcast, another flippant prayer (cause let's be honest) isn't going to solve my lack of virtue-building for heaven. It's going to make me feel better about myself for a time, build that pride, and yet I will have not done anything for my heavenly-future self. In fact, because I so often forget like the Israelites, I will probably have forgotten this whole Lewis bit and continued on my merry way of building treasure here 😔
Like I explained in my comment last week, I need time with Jesus to refuel my spiritual self. This week's reading revealed that one moment with God every 24 hours is not enough. I am far too forgetful and self-serving to not be in constant connection to Him.
So far I have enjoyed the references to nationalism, and his opinions on political servitude, and society that he has made so far. I also found his opinion on giving in chapter three eye opening, and convicting when he says, " If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small." I wonder how upsetting this would make some American believers to hear before taking up offering in a church service(if I had heard it in such a setting I might have left that church). I also enjoyed his insights on repentance in Chapter 4 para. 9.
I like how he insists on Christians bringing their worldview into every area of life and work, that it isn't the clergy that is supposed to make political change, but rather Christian statesmen and politicians affecting change in their area of influence.
I imagine his section on charity and giving will make just about any Christian squirm a little. It is quite the statement to claim that if your giving doesn't inconvenience you, it's likely not enough. That's pretty intense.
Did you agree with his description of repentance? That repentance is a description of what going back to God is like?
Where to start? Too much good stuff in these pages and I don't have my brain organized enough to share concisely 🙃
So, I'll just share the biggest gut punch I had, which so neatly tucked itself between the end of ch 2 and beginning of ch 3 👊
Lewis had just written, "... there will be every occasion for being the sort of people that we can become only as the result of doing such acts here."
-- "Do our developed virtues truly transfer over into heaven?" I thought. "Of course they do!" -- my inner dialog lol
Pretty convicting to recognize I am not often thinking about how I live for my next life. I just think of the here and now, the cause and effect my choices have on earth. How can I change my thinking to be heaven-focused?
Little ideas popped into my mind: change my morning routine to better focus on God, read that study book I haven't started yet, finish memorizing that passage in Deuteronomy, the list went on.
But then chapter 3 started and slapped me back into the reality I needed 😅
"Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities ... people need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed."
I don't need to add more things to my already earth-focused, too-busy life (though that may be helpful for some).
I already have more knowledge than I'll ever use (I would argue that anyone studying CS Lewis is in this same bucket).
Another book, another podcast, another flippant prayer (cause let's be honest) isn't going to solve my lack of virtue-building for heaven. It's going to make me feel better about myself for a time, build that pride, and yet I will have not done anything for my heavenly-future self. In fact, because I so often forget like the Israelites, I will probably have forgotten this whole Lewis bit and continued on my merry way of building treasure here 😔
Like I explained in my comment last week, I need time with Jesus to refuel my spiritual self. This week's reading revealed that one moment with God every 24 hours is not enough. I am far too forgetful and self-serving to not be in constant connection to Him.
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thess 5:17