Wednesday’s Word-Edition 124

January 13, 2016 | My Jottings

Have you read Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis? I read it again last year and still remember the little blazes of light that came to my understanding as I read. I highly recommend it! Here’s a wonderful quote from the book:

“You must picture me alone in that room in Magdalen (college), night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him of whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. supprisedbyjoyThat which I greatly feared had at last come upon me. In the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England. I did not then see what is now the most shining and obvious thing; the Divine humility which will accept a convert even on such terms. The Prodigal Son at least walked home on his own feet. But who can duly adore that Love which will open the high gates to a prodigal who is brought in kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance of escape? The words compelle intrare, compel them to come in, have been so abused by wicked men that we shudder at them; but, properly understood, they plumb the depth of the Divine mercy. The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation.”   

— C.S. Lewis, in Surprised by Joy

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Comments

  1. Ganeida says:

    I keep losing that book. 🙂 It is so good I lend it then it never returns home. 🙁

  2. Just Julie says:

    Yes, it’s just the kind of book you want to lend out again and again, Ganeida. Blessings on you and yours! xoxo

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