lizards

something has been bugging me for the last few days. something i read, a thought that was injected into my mind. provocative, yet humbling simultaneously. it came while reading one of C.S. Lewis' writings. i have become hooked on them and have recently checked out three new ones. this thought comes from the one i finished a few days ago, called "The Great Divorce".

it is about the differences of Heaven and Hell, their realness and disunity. great read, i might add.

there is this part towards the end where the person observing that which happens around him is talking with a great theologian of the past, and during the course of their discussion and walking about they witness many others being challenged by angels to chose life. one particular instance sticks with me. there was a man he witnessed who had a great lizard on his neck, whispering things to him. this man was yelling at the lizard to keep quiet, and an angel then offered to make it quiet for him. the man, wanting the lizard to be quiet accepted the angels offer. and then the angel asked if he should kill it now. at this the man became alarmed, for he did not understand the angel would kill it. through the discourse that took place between the angel and the man, the angel finally convinced the man that though it would hurt the man some, the lizard would be silenced and the man would have true life. the lizard, who whispered into the mans ear, deceiving him of the truth.

the man gave in, and the angel clasped its hand around the lizard and it burned up, causing the man great agony. and then, the lizard fell to the ground, losing its grip on the man.

but it did not stop there. the lizard, though dead, squirmed on the ground and became a great stallion. the man climbed upon this stallion and then rode him off into the great Mountains where the Sun rises.

interesting. convicting. humbling.

just a few thoughts of mine after i read and pondered this part. fiction, yet with a great truth. it is only when we let our lizards, the wrong influences and habits in our life die, that we become truely who we are meant to be.

i have some lizards in my life. i think we all do. one might say, "of course we do! we are human after all!" very true, but Scripture is clear that this is no excuse to continue living in sin.

and here i must admit i am preaching to myself.

it is as if God is not letting this idea leave me, and i know why. i have lizards i need to deal with. lizards that need to die. lizards that have taken a hold of me simply because i have allowed them to.

think of this:

...do not give the devil a foothold.
Ephesians 4:27

it was my choice to give these lizards a place around my neck, and yet i am commanded not to do so.

now look at this:

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24

this is what we need to be doing, what i need to do. let those lizards die, and become what i was created to be....a son of God.

it is not easy, il admit that. it is real easy to just say something like this, it is another to live it out. but that is what i am called to do as a son.

and yet i cannot do it on my own......there is no victory down that road, onyl deception and failure. it is only through submission to the power of the Holy Spirit that sin may be conquered.

and dead falls a lizard.

if there is one thing i have learned, it is that Satan is an expert at making a lie appear as truth. and how will we know the difference if we do not know the Truth? if we want to conquer sin we must realize that WE cannot. it is just like changing people, WE dont do the changing. it is the Holy Spirit that does this. the same is true when it comes to conquering sin in our lives. it is through complete surrender to the Will of God and the Holy Spirit, letting it invade every part of our lives and do some house cleaning.

i once heard it illustrated in this fashion in a book i read about purity. our bodies are like a house, and it is filled with rooms, all with doors. we have to take down the barricades holding those doors shut willingly, and let Christ walk through and do what He wishes. we have to submit to God our wills, desires, everything, if we truely want to get rid of the sin in our lives.

and here is the tricky part, it doesnt end here. we live in a world saturated with sin, and because of this we must be constantly surrendering ourselves to His command.

the bottom line is there is no other way to successfully take down sin in our lives. all the other ways are filled with more lies, pain and failure.

i want success. i want joy. i want peace knowing i am in right communion with God.

i want dead lizards.