The Great Divorce

So one of my all time fav books is CS Lewis' book The Great Divorce. I first read it during the summer while I was in college working along side Student Life. They did a study on it and I decided since I liked CS Lewis and hadn't read it yet that I would do it. My copy is well worn as I have read it several times and though I really despise writing in books this book is all marked up and underlined. I've written questions and thoughts on different pages that goes along with what is going on in the book. I was listening to Caedmon's Call while I was going to sleep last night specifically the album Back Home (which though I really don't have a favorite album is one of the top ones for me from them) and specifically at the time the song The High Countries. I'm not sure why this never was put together in my head before but as I was listening I all of a sudden (and maybe I'm reading into this too much) saw a connection between the song and book The Great Divorce. The song goes as follows

Lyrics:
A bus station, in the steam from the rain
In this line of pale strangers, should I go or stay?

The whole field of vision, fades beneath me now
And the houses spread for a million miles in this gray town

And the weight of glory, if you held it in your hand
It would pass right through you, so now's your chance

Would you fall to pieces
Would you fall to pieces
Would you fall to pieces
In the high countries?

We are just pilgrims of the great divorce
I am witness to the light and I am captive
To my own remorse

And the weight of glory, if you held it in your hand
It would pass right through you, so now's your chance

You drink the cup to the bottom, but it burns in your hands
The cup was poured out on the Maker instead

Out on the green plains, I am but a ghost
Bound up with all that I call mine, still the light grows

I have always loved this song but it really for some reason took on a whole new meaning last night. I've just started a new book but when I got home from being out of town today thought that maybe I'd read it again since it has been a little while.

Anyways, I was flipping through it trying to find one of my fav quotes and realized that I wish I could just post the whole book because it is so good. I did find two I wanted to post.

The first one happens while an angel is talking with one of the ghosts who has a lizzard attached to him that is not healthy for the ghost. The ghost has decided to leave because he realizes with the lizzard he doesn't belong. The angel offers to kill the lizzard and the ghost keeps making excuses. Finally this conversation takes place:

"'Get back! You're burning me. How can I tell you to kill it? You'd kill me if you did.'
'It is not so.'
'Why, you're hurting me now.'
'I never said it wouldn't hurt you. I said it wouldn't kill you.' ...
'Why are you torturing me? You are jeering at me. How can I let you tear me in pieces? If you wanted to help me, why didn't you kill the damned thing without asking me - before I knew? It would be all over by now if you had.'
'I cannot kill it against your will. It is impossible. Have I your permission?'
The angel's hands were almost closed on the Lizard, but not quiete. Then the Lizard began chatteing to the Ghost so loud that even I could hear what it was saying. ...
'Have I your permission?' said the Angel to the Ghost.
'I know it will kill me.'
'It won't. But supposing it did?'
'You're right. It would be better to be dead than to live with this creature.'
'Then I may?'
'Damn and blast you! Go on, can't you? Get it over. Do what you like,' bellowed the Ghost: but ended, whimpering, 'God help me. God help me.'"

As I was re-reading that chapter I was thinking of my life. So many times I have thought that the pain of the furnace would kill me. I have laid on the floor crying for God to help me because it hurts so bad. I've done it over and over again but each time I make excuses for my sin and the cracks that need to be fixed until I realize that I cannot do it anymore and I need to go through the furnace to be made stronger. I love the hymn How Firm a Foundation. We sing it a lot at Perimeter and a couple months ago during a hard struggle with God I was singing this verse and thinking about how it is the trials, the pain and the hurt that if we trust God will make us stronger and more able to be used for him for his kingdom.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

What a really amazing thought that we can stand in the middle of the flame and trust that God is using it to get rid of the dross and causing us to shine with gold refined.

As for the other quote that will have to be later...for now I need to post pics from fun times with friends this weekend!