My Goodness

Oh, my goodness--and He is my Goodness--I was just going to write in my notebook for later development this recognition: everything thing I know and understand comes from God. My intelligence is no greater now than it was x number of years ago, but my spiritual growth these last two, three years has been phenomenal. Still, prior to this growth, whatever it was I realized or whatever great thought I had came from God, but I was arrogant enough to believe I had some special insight or prophetic bent. Yet, what did I know of my own? What I knew then came mainly from this world; only glimpses came from God. Still, those glimpses were to be relished.

So all of the above is preface to the Oh, my goodness. I descended to the basement to complete my morning toiletries and picked up the C.S. Lewis book I've been reading in spurts for nearly a year now. Actually, it's five books in one cover, so I'm reading theGreat Divorce. Very confusing to me initially, probably because I don't read it regularly. I'm beginning to understand what's going on now, and this morning I was shocked and delighted to read a paragraph that concurs with the aforementioned preface. Let me quote the essential part for you:

" I obeyed. To lean on the arm of someone older than myself was an experience that carried me back to childhood, and with this support I found the going tolerable: so much so, indeed, that I flattered myself my feet were already growing more solid, until a glance at the poor transparent shapes convinced me that I owed all this ease to the strong arm of the Teacher. Perhaps it was because of his presence that my other senses also appeared to be quickened. I noticed scents in the air which had hitherto escaped me, and the country put on beauties."

This is an aside. When I began to understand what Lewis was getting at, I understood the transparent shapes he alludes to are the types, figures, and shadows (particularly the shadows) George Fox alludes to in his sermons. Yes, we human beings are not substantial until we die to the Law through Christ Jesus and are reborn in the Spirit. Only then to we gain life and substance.