Wednesday, July 13, 2016

God is Other

Lewis talks about being taken OUT of ourselves today in A Year with C.S. Lewis.

He says that when we love someone, that love takes us out of our own selves, and we connect with someone else outside of our own desires and experiences and mind.

That being "taken out" is very important to us and our spiritual lives. Because God is other. He is not part of our brain. We didn't invent Him. He exists outside of our ability to comprehend fully. We refer to this in many ways... we say He is "not a tame lion". We say that "His ways are above our ways and His thoughts above our thoughts". All of these things point to His otherness.

And there is both comfort and discomfort in knowing this. First, it's discomforting because it's not in our control. We aren't in charge - even of our own spiritual lives. He is. We don't reach out to Him, except that He first reached out to us. He reveals Himself to us... and if He didn't, we could never reach Him.

But it's comforting, too. Why? Because it's easier for me to trust someone if they're smarter and bigger than I am. If the one I'm trusting with my life is only as capable as I am, then I'm worried they might mess things up. Because I know that I'm certainly capable of messing things up. But if they're bigger and stronger and smarter and better than I am... well, then I can trust them to take care of me, can't I?

God, thank You for being other... and for helping me to experience who You really are.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Our God is so capable of being in total control if we would just let Him. I am glad I have finally come to a place to realize He plans are sooooo much better than my plans. Just be patient and wait. Be content in the season He has you in and enjoy the journey.