C. S. Lewis: A Reluctant Christian

Loving Pumpkin

READ: EXODUS 34:6; ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12; LUKE 15:1-7; EPHESIANS 4:2 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=EXODUS%2034%3A6%3B%20ECCLESIASTES%204%3A9-12%3B%20LUKE%2015%3A1-7%3B%20EPHESIANS%204%3A2&version=NIV] I recently adopted a rescued cat from my local animal shelter. She had been at the shelter for a long time because most people looking for a pet choose one that is more outgoing than the scared, cowering cat I met. In fact, our first meeting left me bleeding from some scratches. But when I looked into her eyes, I saw that she was merely terrified, not mean. And so, I brought her home, named her Pumpkin, and began to love on her. Our first days together were interesting. She shivered and cowered in her homemade cardboard box bed. She refused to leave its safety. And when she met our other cat, she hissed and growled as if her life depended on scaring him away. But each time I would gently pet her soft fur, she purred louder than any cat I’d ever heard. With time, she learned to trust again, and it was a delight to watch her blossom and show her spunky personality. I don’t know what trauma she experienced to make her so scared of people and other animals. All I know is that she desperately needed consistent love and patience for her to recover. Anytime I’m around Pumpkin, I think about how we as humans often do the same thing. Sometimes we get hurt and we stop trusting. Sometimes we even find our own ways to “hiss” and “growl” at those around us for fear that letting them too close will only lead to more hurt. Whether we’ve experienced betrayal, gossip, abuse, broken promises, rejection, bullying, or something else, it can be so hard to seek new relationships with others. But just like Pumpkin, we can learn to trust again by building healthy relationships with safe people—especially fellow Christians. Healthy church families, filled with people being renewed by Jesus, are so important to healing. Jesus takes our trauma seriously—that’s why we can share our hurts with Him. By the power of His Holy Spirit, we can find healing. It might be scary, but I encourage you to reach out and find safe people who will love you, help you put a stop to anything currently hurting you, and patiently walk with you as you bring every hurt to Jesus so He can begin to heal you. Jesus, the Great Healer and the one who knows your every hurt, will be with you through it all (Matthew 28:20). • Rebecca Morgan • What kinds of hurts have you experienced in the past? Jesus cares about your every hurt, and He can truly empathize with you because He knows firsthand what it’s like to live in our broken world (Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 Peter 5:7). Consider taking some time to talk to Him about your hurts. Remember, you can be totally honest and tell Him, unfiltered, about what you’ve been through and how it has affected you. You can even tell Him about accusations that rise up in your heart against Him. He can take it. You can never exhaust His love for you. • We all need community. We are made to walk alongside other people, especially as Christians (Genesis 2:18; Galatians 6:1-10). As you process your hurts, who are trusted people in your life you can talk openly with? (If no one comes to mind, you can ask God to help you identify someone in the future.) • Do you know anyone who needs extra love and patience in this season as they work through their hurts? How can you love them like Jesus does? (Remember, sometimes loving well looks like setting up healthy boundaries. Who are trusted adults who can help you do this?) • If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse, and especially if the situation is potentially life-threatening, call 911 (or the emergency number for your area) or go to the local hospital emergency room right away. If you need help doing this, who are safe people you can reach out to—such as parents, counselors, youth leaders, teachers, friends, or healthy members of a church? • If you are not in immediate danger but need someone to talk to about hurts you have experienced or are currently experiencing, you can set up an appointment for a one-time complimentary phone consultation with a Christian counselor through the Focus on the Family Counseling Service. In the United States, call 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) to set up an appointment. In Canada, book your appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate.  The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

C. S. Lewis: A Reluctant Christian

READ: PSALM 19; MATTHEW 22:37-39; PHILIPPIANS 1:9 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALM%2019%3B%20MATTHEW%2022%3A37-39%3B%20PHILIPPIANS%201%3A9&version=NIV] The author C. S. Lewis is considered one of the most influential Christian apologists of his time. He taught at Oxford and wrote several great books related to apologetics and Christianity, including Mere Christianity and The Chronicles of Narnia. Yet, like all of us, C. S. Lewis wasn’t always a Christian. He grew up in a Christian home. Sadly, his mother died of cancer when he was a boy. In his grief, Lewis understandably became angry that God had not healed her. He also fought in World War I and suffered from depression after seeing the horrors of trench warfare and losing friends in battle. His mother’s tragic death and his experiences of war were some of the reasons that eventually led Lewis to become an atheist. But God still loved Lewis, and He was still at work in his life. Through the help of the writings of authors like George MacDonald, as well as through friends like J. R. R. Tolkien, Lewis returned to Christianity and found that it was, in fact, logical. Lewis himself said that his conversion was not easy. In his memoir, Surprised by Joy, he even described himself as “kicking, struggling, resentful, and darting his eyes in every direction for a chance of escape.” But after putting his trust in Jesus, Lewis went on to write about the wonderful love of God, including through apologetics and refuting popular claims against Christianity. To this day, his words carry hope and meaning, especially because he experienced atheism personally. He was familiar with popular objections to Christianity because he’d had them himself. None of Lewis’s novels, apologetics, or life story would have been possible without Jesus. Not only does Lewis’s work argue for Christianity, but his own reluctance to accept the truth of the gospel is an argument in itself. Lewis was an intelligent scholar, and he would’ve remained an atheist if God hadn’t intervened in his life. And God is still using Lewis’s writings to bring others to the knowledge of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection today. • Naomi Zylstra • Have you ever felt like Christianity is illogical? What questions do you have about it? God invented our minds, and He calls us to use them. Who are trusted Christians in your life—such as pastors, parents, counselors, or youth leaders—who could help you explore your questions? • Can you think of a time you were angry at God? God invites us to bring our anger to Him, honestly telling Him about all the accusations that rise up in our hearts against Him. He is always better than we could hope, and He is eager to reveal His trustworthy love to us. Now the Berean Jews...received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11 (NIV)

Talking About Hair

READ: MATTHEW 10:29-31; ROMANS 8:35-39; 1 PETER 5:7 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=MATTHEW%2010%3A29-31%3B%20ROMANS%208%3A35-39%3B%201%20PETER%205%3A7&version=NIV] Sometimes it feels like no one really sees us. But that’s not true. God notices us. God cares about us. God looks out for us. Can I get a little gross for a minute and talk about hair? I have long hair, and it doesn’t always stay on my head. I find hair everywhere—on my clothes, on the floor, stuck in my hairbrush. The amount of hair I lose can be frustrating, yet I still have a lot on my head too. In Matthew 10, Jesus tells us that the hairs on our heads are all numbered. Does God really know how many hairs I have—and does He keep a running count because I’m constantly losing another strand? God is the one who designed us, the one who made our bodies (Psalms 119:73; 139:13-16). He chose our hair color and decided how much hair we would have. He notices our hair, and because He knows everything about us, He knows how many strands we have. He also notices when we’re hungry, when we’re anxious, and when we really need to be reminded of His closeness. In other words, God loves us. In this same passage, Jesus says that He notices and cares about each sparrow that falls to the ground, and then Jesus goes on to say that we are much more valuable to Him than many sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31). Jesus showed how much we’re worth when He came and lived among us, ultimately giving up His life for us. He died on the cross, and then He rose from the grave so we could be saved from sin and death—and enjoy newness of life with Him. So we can rest assured that we are seen. We have worth. We can trust God to be there, no matter what. Our hair can remind us that we don’t have to be afraid, and that even when we feel lonely we are never alone, because we have a God who truly sees us and cares about us. • Emily Acker • When you think about God knowing the exact number of hairs on your head right now, how does it make you feel? How could it be comforting to remember that He cares about even this tiny detail of our lives? [Jesus said,] “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30 (NIV)

Splintered Trust

READ: PSALM 55 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALM%2055&version=NLT] Smiles, charm, Perfect friends Watching you. Your back is turned, Whispering begins. Nasty remarks, A chuckle heard. Comments, jibes Grind you down. Burning tears. Thumping heartbeat. Subtle rejections. Trust splintered. When friends badmouth you, the hurt can be so deep that trusting again is challenging. David had the same problem. The first part of Psalm 55 shows how he is deeply troubled, and in verses 13 and 14, he shares the disappointment of his friend’s betrayal. In the midst of this desperation, he goes to God, the one who is always trustworthy. When your trust has been splintered, Jesus invites you to come to Him. He loves you deeply, and He feels your pain as His own. He can truly empathize with what you’re going through because He endured the pain of betrayal, rejection, and humiliation on the cross. Why? Because He was determined to bring forgiveness for sin—including gossip and backstabbing—and to provide healing for the harm sin causes. Jesus is trustworthy even when people are not. Through it all, He will never leave your side. • Cindy Lee • Can you think of a time someone broke your trust? Consider taking a moment to talk to Jesus about this and receive His tender compassion. • Because we live in a broken world, not everyone can be trusted, and it’s okay to set healthy boundaries, especially with people who have shown themselves to be untrustworthy in the past. At the same time, it’s important to remember that one of the ways God extends His love and healing to us is through community. If you’re not sure who you can trust right now, you can ask God to help you identify people who will treat you with respect and care, like He does. • Have you ever gone behind someone’s back? It’s easy to get drawn into a conversation when everyone is badmouthing someone. How can you remove yourself from situations like these? (1 Corinthians 10:13) • If you’re in the midst of a toxic situation, who are trusted adults you can reach out to? But I will call on God, and the LORD will rescue me. Psalm 55:16 (NLT)

Rest

READ: GENESIS 2:1-3; 1 KINGS 19:1-9; MATTHEW 11:28-30 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=GENESIS%202%3A1-3%3B%201%20KINGS%2019%3A1-9%3B%20MATTHEW%2011%3A28-30%20&version=NIV] I couldn’t sleep. My irritating cough kept me awake in the middle of the night. “Don’t go into work if you’re feeling poorly,” my parents advised. But I ignored them, afraid of letting anyone down. I must be resilient and keep going, I thought. I can’t give in and miss a day of work. So I soldiered on until my exhaustion eventually caught up with me. The illness didn’t go away, and refusing to rest made it substantially worse. I ended up spending a week (during my vacation) in bed. I hadn’t listened to my body or to good advice, and so I was forced to stop everything. As I lay in bed, feeling sorry for myself, I had no one to blame but myself. I recalled how, when my friends or family were ill, I would rush around buying throat lozenges, fruit, or whatever I thought might help them—but then I neglected my own body. I realized how easy it is to nurture and help other people but forget ourselves. In the Bible, God teaches us that it’s important to rest and recharge. Resting doesn’t mean you’re lazy. It might look like relaxing, enjoying a hobby, or doing something that allows your mind to rest. It could also mean making sure you’re getting enough sleep or listening to your body when you’ve overexerted—or when you’re feeling poorly and just need to take a break. Whenever we start to feel overwhelmed, we can listen to God. He cares for us more than we know, and He wants to give us rest. Even when we overdo it and wind up exhausted, God has so much compassion on us, and He is ready to help us. If you, like me, find it easier to care for other people than for yourself, remember that taking care of our bodies is necessary if we want to keep helping others. When you’re feeling poorly, you can rest and give yourself a dose of tender loving care in the same way you would a close friend or relative (Matthew 22:36-40). You don’t have to keep pushing yourself—you can rely on Jesus, the one who has already done everything that was needed to save us through dying and rising again, the one who gives us true rest. • Cindy Lee • Do you sometimes throw yourself into things and then forget to take time out to rest? Have you ever found it difficult to give yourself permission to take a break? Why do you think that is? • Sleep is an important part of our physical and emotional health. Sometimes we need help in order to give our bodies the sleep we need, and that’s okay. If you’re having difficulty sleeping, who is a trusted adult you can talk to, such as a parent, counselor, or doctor? In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:2 (NIV)