Well, it's finally come down to the last chapter in The Great Divorce. My question is: Will it explain what's been going on? It's not likely to define metaphors or anything, but if our main character has understanding and makes the right choice, it'll bring resolution to all the problems he saw.
It seems to me that this guy's observations have all had a common denominator: all the people that he overheard conversing with Bright People were unwilling to submit or bend their wills to God. They were unwilling to (here comes a "religious" word) repent. They resisted and fought, holding on to their choice with all they had. Many times they were out-argued by the Bright Person they were talking to, but angrily or stubbornly refusing to budge an inch. Off they went to Hell as a result. It was as if God was turning a phrase in the Lord's Prayer back to the person: "Not My will, but yours be done. The people were choosing their way over God's.
I'm not permanently over it nor permanently there or "all that," by any means, but I do remember my own personal World War III with God. James 4:4 was telling me explicitly that "my way" was emnity towards God. I quickly gave up that position in favor of what I knew was on the other side -- His mercy, love and joy.
Like any man, bitterness and anger could turn my heart into a destructive direction, but I do have the memory and my signed "peace treaty" with God to look back on. That joyous ocassion where I said, "Let Your will be done." This is something I can say over and over again each and every day, for our journey doesn't cease to offer us choices.
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Ahhh, warm coffee. It's raining here. The lightning is rather close, judging by the timing of the loud thunder following. My internet connection was not operating very well during the downpour. But now it's back up. Let's see what chapter 14 offers...
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Whew!
Sigh...
Our man saw a silver chess board, with tiny figures moving about as they made choices. He asked his teacher to explain if that's all he had been seeing, infering, I think, that man had no choices to make, but was a mere puppet. The teacher told him, "Do not ask of a vision in a dream more than a vision in a dream can give."
So, it seems to boil down to a picture, a vision, a story that Lewis has penned to make us think. To make us weigh our decisions and how they might affect the outcome of our lives and our relationships. With a keen sense of human nature, he pegged our 21st century bents and habits.
I can see why people would read this book over and over. It's a pretty delightful picture of people and their habits -- in and of our relationship to God and the abundant life and joy that is ours to choose. It sounds so cliche (and New Age-ish) that we could choose to have joy, but there is much evidence that seeking God and His perspective on life and circumstances can turn our attitudes to a brighter side.
I think you talked about this in a past entry, but the part where the bus goes back down to hell and he realizes that the great crevice that he was looking at was only a small crack in the dirt was great. Implying how small and meaningless hell was compared to the glory of heaven. Great book, I enjoyed reading it again.
Posted by: Tim Harris at May 1, 2007 02:03 PM