More Screwtape

Bloggers,

I am still reading this fantastic, yet deep book, "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis..

This is in reference to Christian prayer. Remember, Screwtape is probably one of the stronger leader of Satan or Satan himself. His nephew, Wormwood, is a servant of Screwtape. Here's a couple of quotes C.S. Lewis wrote:

"One of their poets, Coleridge, has recorded that he did not pray "with moving lips and bended knees" but merely "composed his spirit to love" and indulged "a sense of supplication". That is exactly the sort of prayer we want; and it bears a superficial resemblance to the prayer of silence as practised by those who are very far advanced in the Enemy's service, clever and lazy patients can be taken in by it for quite a long time."

Enemy refers to God; Satan's adversary. Remember, this is a conversation between evil forces against Christianity. This book helps us see the all the possibilities of Satan and his legions' work against our faith.

Patients refers to us Christians. We're Satan's patients and he wants to destroy us and make us ill. That's Satan's job!

This is particularly true today. Rarely, do we witness others in prayer in restaurants before they eat their lunch/dinner. When there's a sense of urgency to pray for the sick and broken-hearted, they simply say to themselves, "I'll say a prayer when I get home tonight" but do not take the time to pray about a certain situation on the spot. Do we see a "bended-knee" prayer wherever we go? Do you do a "bended-knee" prayer yourself?

"The simplest is to turn their gaze away from Him toward themselves. Keep them watching their own minds and trying to produce feelings there by the action of their own wills. When they meant to ask Him for charity, let them, instead, start trying to manufacture charitable feelings for themselves and not notice that this is what they are doing. When they mean to pray for courage, let them really be trying to feel brave. When they say they are praying for forgiveness, let them be trying to feel forgiven. Teach them to estimate the value of each prayer by their success in producing the desired feeling; and never let them suspect how much success or failure of that kind depends on whether they are well or ill, fresh or tired, at the moment."

Of course! When we ask, we struggle to receive what we ask for with human efforts. God is the Provider of the things we ask for.

Another interesting comment from C.S. Lewis regarding our prayer to an "object":

"I have known cases where what the patient called his "God" was actually located - up and to the left at the corner of the bedroom ceiling, or inside his own head, or in a crucifix on the wall. But whatever the nature of the composite object, you must keep him praying to it - to the thing that he has made, not to the Person who has made him."

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 (niv)

"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;" Psalms 95:6 (niv)