As I opened it up this morning, I was burdened for one person in particular who I am convinced is just straight-up deceived by his own demon. My heart broke for him as I read the following passage, where Uncle Screwtape (a demon) is recalling a victory:
"I once had a patient, a sound atheist, who used to read in the British Museum. One day, as he sat reading, I saw a train of thought in his mind beginning to go the wrong way. I struck instantly at the part of the man which I had best under my control and suggested that it was just about time he had some lunch, [this was] much too important to tackle at the end of a morning, [it was] much better to come back after lunch and go into it with a fresh mind. Once he was in the street the battle was won. I showed him the newsboy shouting the midday paper, and a No. 73 bus going past, and before he reached the bottom of the steps, I had got him into an unalterable conviction that...a healthy dose of 'real life' was enough to show him that 'all that sort of thing' just couldn't be true. Thanks to the processes we set at work in them centuries ago, they find it all but impossible to believe in the unfamiliar while the familiar is before their eyes."The father of this world, though he is very very good at crafting lies and manipulating the truth, is more than just deceptive on a deep, scientific level. In fact, because he knows he will never ultimately win in a battle of scientific rationale, I think he would much prefer to simply keep us distracted. Distracted by makeup, sports, kids, ice cream, birthdays, to-do lists, you name it...he doesn't care as long as it keeps us from resting at the feet of the Father of Creation and hearing that still, small voice that leads us in Truth and speaks Peace into our hearts. Real life comes only through Jesus Christ, friend! Oh, that you would taste and see that the Lord is good!!
Amen to that my beautiful wife! That is such an awesome thought to be praying about today!
ReplyDeleteLast year I read "Mastering the Silence" by Doug Jones. It goes through the process of how we are attacked through our thoughtlife, I had been taught this a while I was in Christian Theology school, and growing up with my mother's teachings, but the ladies in my Bible study were overwhelmed with confusion and at the same time liberty. "You mean I don't have to keep my mind on what comes to my mind, I can fight those thoughts with the Word?"...I sat there almost in tears, they clearly were inocent of there ignorance...and some of these ladies had been "in church" for years (their whole lives) I'm am so blessed to have had a intercessor mother, who taught me how to pray the scriptures.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful insight....you always give me something to think about. Blessings my friend!