A contributing issue to the post is that it is about something I read that isn't in the Bible. Yet it is profoundly related.
I choose as the scriptural basis for my post...
Romans 8:28 (NIV)
More Than Conquerors
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,a whob have been called according to his purpose.
[1]a Some manuscripts And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God
b Or works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who
[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984
So now, here we go...
If you've been reading my posts, you may recall that late one night this week, I devoured The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. (read it) Having mentioned in my post how the midnight reading of this wonderful book contributed to my inability to haul myself out of bed the following morning for my devotional, a dear friend (a berry dear friend) pointed out the irony of that situation. Honestly, it had not been wasted on me and he seized upon my favorite chapter of the book to illustrate his point.
Now at the risk of spoiling some aspect of the book for you, I have to talk about this. In this particular chapter, a scene is presented between a spirit that is enslaved to a red lizard that rides on his shoulder. This spirit has an encounter with another spirit who offers to kill the red lizard as an act of kindness and mercy (he didn't say that, I've added it for clarity). The enslaved spirit whines that he wished the benevolent spirit had just killed it without asking for it was painful to him to have to make the decision. At long last, the enslaved spirit accepts the offer of the benevolent spirit and instantly the red lizard is plucked from his shoulder and killed. As it turns out, the red lizard, represented appetite and by his constant chatter exercised control over the spirit it had snared. The story doesn't stop there. In fact, the red lizard then transforms into a magnificent stallion which is soon mounted by the freed spirit and together they race off to glory and to the realization of their true potential in God's kingdom.
The point of the story is that the red lizard, in this case appetite once yielded unto death was transformed into something wonderful. The spirit was freed was transformed as well into a new creature.
I had my own red lizard. His name was appetite. He sat on my shoulder and whispered in my ear incessantly driving me to indulge and feed my appetite for sex, drugs and money. He fanned my healthy God-given appetites into punishing slave-drivers which drove me into ever-greater depths of depravity and despair.
When at last my red lizard was revealed to me by the benevolent HOLY SPIRIT, I too struggled with the decision to yield to The Spirit's offer to kill that beast. I too acquiesced and The Spirit killed my lizard.
My lizard did not turn into a magnificent stallion, literally but it did figuratively. You see, those same appetites were now turned from matters of the world to matters of God's Kingdom. The same appetites which drove me into habitual sexual sin now fuel my passion for Christ. The same appetite for 'self love' now drives me to 'selfless love.' I am running as hard towards God as I ever ran away.
My lizard and the experiences we had together which were originally intended to ruin me have now been used by God through the ministry in which He has placed me not only for my good but for the benefit of others. That's the reason I offer Romans 8:28 to you. My entire life testifies to the truth of this verse.
The ministry in which I work is my red lizard yielded, killed and transformed. It is a magnificent stallion and I will ride it to God's glory.
Hi Ho Silver, Away!
Carl
Posts
3 comments:
Interesting! ... But in reading this I wonder if you caught my comment for your 12/9 blog, where I also comment on the "lizard," which Christopher West, whom I got my angle on this, called the "lizard of lust."
It was West who motivated me to get C.S. Lewis' book which, most certainly, is a powerful allegory; and I know that both of us can identify with that scene where we, as captured spirits, must yield to the power of THE Spirit and let Him kill the lizard so that our own spirit can mount the transformed power and steed of God's honor, riding it with power in this life and into Mountains of Glory in the next.
What a great image for all of us to die to lust-filled self so that we can live empowered by The Spirit of Truth.
<'BB><
Thanks Bill! I definitely caught your comment on the 12/9 blog entry. Thank you very much! And I totally understand the interpretation of it's identity as the 'lizard of lust.' However, in the book, the angel said "ye must ask, if the risen body even of appetite is as grand a horse as ye saw..." That (appetite) really stuck with me.
That's the reason I referred to it as 'appetite' in my blog entry for this day. And in considering that name, it occurred to me that a great many sins are encompassed in that description. Of course, the same can be said of lust being an encompassing description of numerous sins. :)
Most sins of excess (gluttony, pride, lust, etc) are perversions of a God-given appetite in that area. God intended for us to enjoy food. God intended for us to take pride in our creative abilities. God intended for us to be attracted to the opposite sex and to react physically to their presence. Within the context of the 'design intent' these are not sins but blessings. It is only when the appetite gets out of control (or perhaps gets 'in' control) that sin is committed.
I think that I could write a great deal on this point but I would rather we had a conversation of sorts instead. So, I'll leave it at that and allow you to comment.
We are in total agreement that the image portrayed by C.S. Lewis is profound. But only in that he brings illumination to a point which has already been made in scripture. And as we know, that whole 'death to self' concept is paramount to our salvation.
I think that this book should be on the reading list of every Christian and more than a few non-Christians!
I'll close with the articulation that I noted that the "red" lizard when yielded to death transformed into a "white" stallion. I can't help but think that Mr. Lewis was intentional in playing upon our (false) imagery of Lucifer as red with a lizard-like tail. That man was smart!
Carl
I agree that "appetite," Lewis' lizard, is all encompassing as a label for the lizard in his allegory. Christopher West was using the term "lizard of lust" in the presentation where I heard him quote from The Great Divorce, probably because he was speaking to an audience of about 600 men gathered to hear him speak on the Theology of the Body; and the men there wanted to hear how we can walk in freedom from sexual sin, a concept we often ascribe to "lust."
Hence West's label, the "lizard of lust."
However, it's pretty biblical to ascribe any discussion of selfish or sensually based sin as being "lust," especially when we go to the NKJV of 1st John 2: 15-16[see below], which exhorts Christians to avoid the three basic types of sin (and those types confronted by Jesus in the wilderness by Satan - Matthew 4 and Luke 4). Here's that passages from 1st John 2 [NKJV]...
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.
So, "lust" is pervasive in any type of sin labeling where we pursue selfish pleasures or pursuits. These are the human "appetites" which lead to destruction; and hence the need to allow God's Spirit to destroy the lizard and be transformed for God's glory.
Yes, I agree that C.S. Lewis was one smart dude! ... <'BB><
Post a Comment