Holy

So I've been reading "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. And I recommend that you all do. Even if you have read it before, I think you should read it again. Lewis himself said the he didn't think much of a book that you wouldn't want to read more than once.

In this book he begins building a case for the Christian faith, starting at the beginning. Starting at the assumption that there must be some type of powerful force out there in the world, and that it must be good. (He actually takes a few chapters to get there, but I won't try to paraphrase them for you, you should just read them).

And I put my book right there and stopped, because I was struck so hard with how terrible and frightening God could be. It was amazing.

Imagine if you will, an all powerful mysterious force that could not be seen, touched, or resisted. You might as well try turning the ocean around with your hands, or blowing the sun out with your breath. And this power, this force, was good.

So good, in fact, that it could not tolerate the presence of evil. Not in the slightest. The smallest little bit of evil would immediately be destroyed in the presence of this power. Like matter approaching the sun, or a something being dropped into a pool of strong acid, anything even remotely connected with evil would be utterly incinerated the second in came in contact with this good force. Nothing but pure goodness could stand in it's way. There were no exceptions, no excuses. The moment even the slightest imperfection appeared in our hearts we could be destroyed on the spot because NOTHING short of pure goodness could be tolerated in the slightest.

This might seem cruel to you. But in fact it is the opposite of cruel. It is the complete and utter absence of cruelty, vice, pride, or sin of any kind. It only seems cruel because it is frightening. All of us have probably experienced something that we want to call "unfair" or complained about a strict boss or teacher when deep down inside we've known the whole time that it is really quite fair, and we just don't like it.

How would you feel about this terrible, awful, force of mass destruction? Because this force really IS God. I think I never really grasped (nor do I really grasp it still) How would you feel if this force appeared in your house tonight? Would you fall down on your face crying "not worthy"? Would you cower in fear, humiliated by your lack of goodness and awestruck by the uncontrollable torrents of power and goodness threatening to sweep you away? Because that's what everyone in the Bible did whenever God or an angel showed up. They ducked for cover.

This is God. No "Ifs", no "buts" however, there is an "and." This is truly God, and he is also merciful to the point that he has come up with a way to eradicate our sin without destroying us. Now the old testament language of "covering of sins" and "the wrath of God" make a lot more sense to me. We are shielded and protected from the "cruel" goodness and we are declared good despite falling short in our own efforts.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.