Eternity in the Hearts of Men

Would you hold it against me if I were to take a break from the normalcy of my postings and expand on my current musings of the world?

Probably not.

So here goes. Along side The Divine Conspiracy I have been reading much C.S. Lewis. Specifically, I have been going through his Space Trilogy which I never before read. A quick summary of the series would place it beside The Chronicles of Narnia, only the material is much more advanced. Understanding the depths of allegory to which Lewis positions the reader in Narnia via Aslan et al, consider for a moment the same attempt at teaching only aimed at "adult" minds.

I will speak plainly. I would not have understood these books as a child. I would not have understood these books as a college student. Only in my post-collegiate education and journey do I come anywhere close to garnering the philosophical implications of the interplanetary journeys and adventures of Elwin Ransom. Typical to Lewis, very little time is spent on the actual story, while most of the reading leads the reader along a step-by-step understanding of the past, present, and future of the known universe. And beyond.

I've read some literature on Heaven. Randy Alcorn's Heaven is probably the best book to date, but Lewis goes beyond even that. What's more, he does so in the year 1943. It is not until the end of the novel, which I hope not to spoil for you, that we the readers receive a glimpse of the eternal.

The glimpse is such a metaphor, such a beautiful illustration, such a detailed and intricate and remarkable description of what was and is and is to come that I was blown away by what I heard (I prefer listening to Lewis rather than reading him. His writing style welcomes it). I lay down for hours just to ponder what I had heard, just to think on this invitation into Divine Purpose and Providence. It was as though I viewed the mind of God in all His mystery; and like Job I was silent before my maker. And I was satisfied.

Eternity has always been on my heart and mind. Even so, even as an old acquaintance, I do not welcome it for I cannot understand it. No man can. Eternity is infinite, while we are finite. Only pride, arrogance, or greed could make me seek to search the stars and hold them in my gaze. I am but a blip in the cosmos, uniquely created and infinitely desirable to my creator, but not so great as to rise up to His level of understanding. To quote Lewis:

"We do not worship God because He is spirit. We worship Him because He is wise. And good."

Today I realized the sagacity of God. I also realized my smallness as man. My will is not his will. His thoughts are not my thoughts, and they are far superior to mine. Either I accept this, or I spend eternity exerting my will to overtake his as ruler of this universe. I pray always it shall be the former.

Now I think, dear reader, I have spent enough time thinking and writing. Perhaps it is time to go out and be doing. This may be my last posting for quite some time.

Until we meet again, I bid you always good living.