“Well Trev, you’re the architect here. No pressure but…” with a meaningful nod at Ann Marie’s work… “I’m expecting greater things from you!”
It turns out that it had been a long work day for him and he was out of inspiration. At least that’s the excuse he gave me.
I made this…
I’m on the Salvation boat with all the other Christians. However, unlike them, I am not enjoying the ride. I feel very isolated because I cannot relate to them.
I also cannot see God in the boat, just other people. I think they can see God, so why can’t I?
In fact I feel like one of those dwarves in C.S. Lewis’ seventh Narnia book, “The Last Battle”.
In Chapter 13, King Tirian goes through a stable door to find a paradise that's much bigger than the stable. In this ‘Stable Paradise’ are 11 Dwarfs, who can't perceive the paradise. To them, it looks like an ordinary stable and they can only perceive sounds, smells, sights, and touches in terms of the "Stable Reality’. The wall of the stable in their reality is solid to them. However, that same wall is nonexistent to people in the "Paradise Reality", and they can see the light, smell the flowers, and eat the fruit of Paradise.
People like my friend Mary for instance. Over the last few weeks she has been sharing here about how God has brought her through a really difficult time. Her faith is still strong. She still quotes bible verses in a meaningful way- they sound more than just platitudes. She still delights in Worship music… no, not in the music…
In God!
By comparison, I’ve had relatively small trials (rejection, frustration, lack of direction etc), and feel utterly crushed by them such that my faith is hanging by a thread. A very thin thread mind, invisible to the naked eye, because you see my faith is smaller than a mustard seed –microscopic even. I feel trapped inside my ‘Stable Reality’, but unlike the Dwarves, I know that there’s more to Christianity than this. I don't know, would it be better if I didn't know.
