« I Just Gotta Know | Main | Case of the Missing Title »

November 5, 2007

A Wind in the Door

I just finished the sequel to A Wrinkle in Time (M. L'Engle), and the ending of this book was so beautiful, I nearly cried. The metaphor for repentance is so very obvious, I'm surprised that I didn't remember it even from way back when.

Meg and Calvin are trying to convince Sporos, a mischievous microscopic creature, that it's time to Deepen, time to fulfill his purpose in life. And he's rebelling against it because he thinks he knows better, he thinks he will be limited and trapped if he complies with his destiny. He is believing the lie of the Enemy. He doesn't know that it will mean his death if he doesn't Deepen. He doesn't know that joy and freedom beyond all measure await him if he'll just follow the course before him, if he'll just Deepen. Liberty, not imprisonment, waits for him in obedience, but he cannot see it.

Oh, Sporos. Blind, decieved little creature. When we turn away from our central purpose in life, when we scorn our Creator and His design for us, we walk a path to destruction. We believe a lie, that we don't need God, that we will find greater happiness within ourselves. We reject God, and embrace Death. We have a million reasons, a thousand justifications... we blanket ourselves in thick layers of lies, of defiance, so that our ears can't hear the Truth. We muffle out the call for repentance, we silence the summoning of the Spirit. All for the love of our flesh. But if we serve our flesh, we die by it... forfeiting the spiritual life that exists beyond the here and now. We trade in an eternity of joyful feasting and celebrating, for a few mere moments of empty pleasure and gratification. Because we seek after our own hearts, we will perish, and we will extinguish the glory God had planned for us forever.

The Enemy does not rest, he beckons and tempts and lies without ceasing. He distracts and discourages and distorts. He knows you, knows your weaknesses, and he tailors his strategy just for you. Refuse him, deny him! He holds death in his hand, wrapped up prettily, waiting for you to take it for your own. Leave him holding his own condemnation, and instead, seize the salvation God has for you. Embrace that to which you are called.

Calvin beseeches the imperiled creature, "Deepen, Sporos, that is where your reality lies. That is how you will find your place, and how you will find your true center." It is not only Sporos who needs these words.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

This is our purpose, our reason for being, and in it we will find not only our salvation, but also our greatest joy... our Deepening.

Spiritual Places | By WonderGirl | 1:00 PM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://atlblogs.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/11827

Comments

Posted by: spiderlillies at November 6, 2007 2:21 PM

Email "A Wind in the Door" to a friend!