The characteristic of Pains and Pleasures is that they are unmistakably real, and therefore, as far as they go, give the man who feels them a touchstone of reality. . . How can you have failed to see that a real pleasure was the last thing you ought to have let him meet?
The Devil Screwtape writing to his nephew Wormword in C. S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, p. 67.
How relevant this is to unborn children with disabilities!
Parents are presented possible scenarios for their unborn child with whatever disability has been discovered. Lists of facts about the disability feel very real and often overwhelming and frightening.
Yet that is not their child! That list is NOT reality! Their child is so much more than his or her disability.
Best of all, that little one is God’s own, created to exist for eternity.
Even after 16 years I only know my son in part (1 Corinthians 13:12). But one thing I do know: he is a real boy and not a list of medical terms.
The pain of dealing with his disabilities has been sharper than I thought I could stand, and the pleasure of knowing him in light of his creator has been sweeter than I ever would have expected. Paul has been a touchstone of reality in my life.
The enemy of our faith and of the indispensable weaker members, of course, would rather see them destroyed. They are dangerous to his plans of keeping us in a fog of little pains and little pleasures that deny the reality of hell and the joy of eternity with Jesus. Cleverly, before these little ones can be known as people, he attempts to turn them into something less than human and therefore easily cast away.
Let us continually invite people to experience real pleasure and real pain by inviting them to know real little people. And may God use that taste to introduce them to the reality of ‘as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing’ (2 Corinthians 6:10).
Good books remind me, I am free!
May 30, 2012 by John Knight
Every time I read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis I am convicted – and embarrassed – by how often I have looked away from Jesus to find my hope. I am prone to feel sorry for myself. The world is oriented to feeling sorry for me, giving me permission to focus on how “hard” things are in our home. The enemy of my faith loves to use misdirection, encouraging me to search for hope in the wrong things.
It is good to be reminded that this life is war.
But not a war with an undecided outcome! And we don’t fight in our own strength. Jesus has already secured the victory over sin , and we are already free when we cling to him:
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2 ESV)
Share this:
Like this:
Posted in commentary, Scripture | Leave a Comment »