C.S. Lewis – Near the Journey’s End

On March 19, 1963, Lewis writes to Mary Willis Shelburne:

I’m sorry they [a reference to doctors I think] threaten you with a painful disease. What have you and I got to do but make our exit? When they told me I was in danger several months ago, I don’t remember feeling distressed.

On April 23, 1963 Lewis writes Shelburne:

What in Heaven’s name is ‘distressing’ about an old man saying to an old woman that they haven’t much more to do here? I wasn’t in the least expressing resentment or despondency. I was referring to an obvious fact and one which I don’t find either distressing or embarrassing. Do you?

Didn’t the flowers all say “Good morning, Lawd!” in the (excellent) film of Green Pastures?

On June 17, 1963 Lewis writes to Shelburne:

Pain is terrible, but surely you need not have fear as well? Can you not see that death is a friend and deliverer? It means stripping off that body which is tormenting you: like taking off a hair-shirt or getting out of a dungeon. What is there to be afraid of? You have long attempted (and none of us does more) a Christian life. Your sins are confessed and absolved. Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave it with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.

Remember, tho’ we struggle against things because we are afraid of them, it is often the other way round – we get afraid because we struggle. Are you struggling, resisting? Don’t you think our Lord says to you, “Peace child, peace. Relax. Let go. Underneath are the everlasting arms. Let go. I will catch you. Do you trust me so little?”

Of course, this may not be the end. Then make it a good rehearsal.

Yours (and like you a tired traveler near the journey’s end)

Jack

[All excerpts from letters taken from The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Walter Hooper editor, Harper San Francisco.]

Since the above excerpts speak for themselves I don’t have anything to add, other than what Lewis writes in his books he lives in his life – as Paul the Apostle writes, “We now see through a glass darkly but then we'll see face to face”, and as Lewis might say, “Indeed, we now live in the Shadowlands but the real Narnia awaits us, the holidays will soon begin!". Ah – the best is yet to come. Christ came, in part, that when we come into a relationship with Him that we might no longer fear death – Hebrews 2:14 – 15.