Mere Christianity - He Will Make You Perfect — iWork4Him
I am a reader; I love to read. The volumes I pick up are often about the faith and work movement or are specific books to prepare for an iWork4Him podcast, but I also enjoy a good novel. In particular, the fiction of C.S. Lewis has been a longtime favorite, but I’ll be the first to admit that his non-fiction has always been a bit of a stretch for me. Three times in the last 40 years, I have picked up his book Mere Christianity, started it, and then not finished.
I was recently inspired to pick up Mere Christianity again when I heard that it was based on C.S. Lewis’s radio appearances during World War II. Apparently, Lewis was asked by the UK Government to come on air and tell people about Christianity, to share his hope in a time that was incredibly dark for Europe. For many nights, C.S. Lewis talked about how he went from being an Atheist to becoming an all-out Christ Follower and Christian Apologist. He had the opportunity to educate a nation in peril about eternal hope found in truth.
As a radio host myself, this story was intriguing enough to help me finish Mere Christianity. In the book, there is a particular quote of Lewis’s that stuck with me. In it, he expounds on Matthew 5:48, “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
“The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were “gods,” and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him—for we can prevent Him, if we choose—He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and, in parts, very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said.”
Talk about a game-changer! All the pain, suffering, adversity, difficult days and years – they all have a purpose. God is using them to make us perfect, to make us into the image of His Son. Wow. This reality has been rocking my world!
As a Christ Follower at work, this fact is a game-changer for you too. God is delivering on His promise to make you perfect, and He is using everything that happens in your life to make you more dependent on Him and His words and His Spirit. He is creating a new heart, mind, and soul in you so that you can minister to those you work alongside and introduce them to the same divine rescue plan.
Think about it. You are on your way to perfect, and He will use it to attract others to Him. Awesome. And do you know what the best part is? It doesn’t depend on our strength or abilities; it’s all on Him! All you have to do is be willing to lay yourself down, to “let Him make the feeblest, filthiest of us into… a bright stainless mirror which reflects God perfectly… His boundless power and delight and goodness.”
God’s will for you today, His purpose for you at work, is that you might be a living reflection of Him to a world desperately in need of eternal hope found in truth.
For more encouragement and support about living a life worthy of Christ during your work week, I encourage you to pick up a copy of our new book iWork4Him and check out the Awaken Podcast Network, a gathering place for over a 100 different podcasts from the faith and work movement!
