C.S. Lewis and the Glory of God

I just finished C.S. Lewis's book The Weight of Glory  and found some great insights in his chapter entitled Learning in War-Time.

At one point he talks about one's life before and after becoming a Christian.

He states here:

"Before I became a Christian I do not think I fully realized that one's life, after conversion, would inevitably consist in doing most of the same things one had been doing before, one hopes, in a new spirit, but still the same things."

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  1 Cor. 10:31

After thinking about this for awhile I realized how true this is. We still go to work, whether it's in the home or in the workplace, we still take care of the needs of our families, and we still have to sleep for rest, eat to survive and grow in learning. But when you give your life over to the Lord it becomes a joy to do these things for His glory.

Lewis says here:

"All our merely natural activities will be accepted, if they are offered to God, even the humblest, and all of them, even the noblest, will be sinful if they are not."

And later he continues:

"Let us clear it forever from our minds. The work of a Beethoven and the work of a charwoman become spiritual on precisely the same condition, that of being offered to God, of being done humbly 'as to the Lord.'"

"Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God."  Rom. 15:7

All three of my children, like many young people today, wonder what God wants them to do with their lives. We each have talents that lead us to our vocation, or jobs, but what God wants from us is not so much what we do, but that we do it to His glory.

Lewis says here:

"We are members of one body, but differentiated members, each with his own vocation."

"For in fact the body is not one member but many."  1 Cor. 12:14

Later Lewis talks about leaving the future in God's hands and living to glorify Him, not our work:

"A more Christian attitude, which can be attained at any age, is that of leaving futurity in God's hands..

Never, in peace or war, commit your virtue or your happiness to the future. Happy work is best done by the man who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment to moment 'as to the Lord.' It is only our daily bread that we are encouraged to ask for. The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace received."

"Give us this day our daily bread."  Matt. 6:11

This is one of the reasons I love C.S. Lewis.

He, being one of the most admired intellectuals of our time, still, can speak to the heart of a simple housewife and mother like me. This attitude of equality among all Christians and the bringing of glory to God as one body, is really a wonderful message we need to often be reminded of.

*Here's a little extra reminder by Steven Curtis Chapman to do all you do for the glory of God. : )

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