Wednesday, July 26, 2023

C.S. Lewis

20th Century Christian Thinker

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2

C.S. Lewis states the following:

“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. 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.’”

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I must admit that I have been tormenting my natural self. I have thought that self-determination would make me more holy. I have believed that I needed to try harder and be better, but I must die. There is no other way. Give me the grace to take up my cross and follow you. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Foster, R. J., & Smith, J. B. (2005). Devotional classics: Selected readings for individuals and groups. HarperSanFrancisco.