Drowning

Recently I finished reading a fantastic book. You may have heard of Mere Christianity, by C. S. Lewis before, but if you've never taken more than a five minute look at it, I'd suggest that you do at some point. There's something about how C. S. Lewis words things and gives graspable illustrations that really helps me understand what he is saying. Points he makes regarding humanity and Christianity and many other topics really hit home not only spiritually, but logically and realistically as well. With an attitude that speaks of partial dedication to Christ being worse than zero dedication, and willingness to take time to clear up any discrepancies that may come up, Lewis has impacted yet another life even after his death. Mine.
So, I decided to thumb through my underlined and annotated copy of Mere Christianity and share one topic or another that struck me.

I've included a reference at the end of the post, however, to give a brief run-down about what topic that I'm about to share that Lewis tackles, here is a bit of background:
The overarching topic is atonement, however, most of the time in the chapter is focused on the fact that Jesus was God. The idea is raised that being submitted to God, suffering and dying must have been a lot easier for Jesus since he was God (and I personally insert that he IS still God and always will be). But the truth clashes with human perspective when people think that it might have been easier for Jesus to go through all that he did since he was God, and as a result, a sense of unfairness comes up. It's that sense of unfairness that Lewis nails with the following illustration.

If I am drowning in a rapid river, a man who still has one foot on the bank may give me a hand which saves my life. Ought I to shout back (between my gasps) 'No, it's not fair! You have an advantage! You're keeping one foot on the bank'? That advantage -call it 'unfair' if you like- is the only reason why he can be of any use to me.

When I read this, I actually laughed out loud. Not because I was amused at the mental picture of myself drowning in a river, but because of the glaring truth that my corrupted human mind had failed to really see. It is a ridiculous idea for a drowning person to reject help from another because the other had some advantage that could aid him. Ridiculous. But if we take the perspective that some advantage on the part of the savior is unfair, then we definitely fail to see that it's really us who are drowning in the river. If I were literally drowning, I'd be fighting pretty hard, but there would come a moment when it finally sank in that I couldn't save myself. That I needed someone to save me.
The reason I need Jesus is because he isn't in the same predicament as I find myself in. The reason I need him is because he knows what he's doing. The reason I need him is because if -cough,- I mean when I'm drowning in bad choices, sin, hurt, and all those other rampant, human nature diseases in this life, he isn't drowning with me. He's in a position that, because of his grace and mercy, benefits me. Thank God that He isn't like me!


So, yeah. It's "unfair" if that's how you want to see it. But from the perspective of someone
I'm drowning in a river every day. I need help. I can't save myself. I can't do it alone.
 He also said, "The perfect submission, the perfect suffering, the perfect death were not only easier to Jesus because He was God, but were possible only because he was God."
No mere human can save you. No level of ambition however high or low can rescue you. No amount of pride is going to help you to the shore of the raging river that you're stuck in. If anything, pride will sink your body faster.


Lewis concludes the illustrations by saying, "To what will you look for help if you will not look to that which is stronger than yourself?"

I know the answer for myself. I will look to the hills and see that my help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. I'll look to him who is stronger than I am. I'd like to encourage everyone to take the outstretched hand of the man who has an advantage for being on the shore while you're in the river. His hand is never out of reach, and he will never pull away. Once you have clasped hands, just know that he will never let you go either.

(For reference sake, this quote is taken from the latter portion of a chapter entitled The Perfect Penitent)