Living in Jesus, Abiding in Him (26)

  

As we continue to reflect on John 15:7, here is another thought from George MacDonald, which C. S. Lewis titles, Corrective Granting:

 

“Even such as ask amiss may sometimes have their prayers answered. The Father will never give the child a stone that asks for bread; but I am not sure that He will never give the child a stone that asks for a stone. If the Father says, ‘My child, this is a stone; it is no bread,’ and the child answer, ‘I am sure it is bread; I want it,’ may it not be well that he should try his ‘bread’?” George MacDonald – An Anthology, C. S. Lewis, Day 105, page 55.

 

I have to say that this is not something I have thought much about…if at all; it is certainly another perspective on the possibilities of prayer. C. S. Lewis thought it was important enough to include in his Anthology.

 

As I ponder MacDonald’s words, I see that the principle of relationship is valid; whether of parent – child, teacher – student, mentor – mentee, employer – employee, pastor – parishioner. Do we not learn when we, at times, get exactly what we ask for? Are there not some things which only experience can teach us?

 

There are times we need to be allowed to fail, to come up against harsh reality, to recognize that our perceptions were wrong, our values were wrong, that we were in error. Sometimes we can superimpose our illusions and wants and desires onto situations and deceive ourselves, and the only way to have the bubble burst is to jump into the pool and find there is no water – it can hurt.

 

Yet, in the Father our painful learning is nevertheless a secure learning. That is, we learn in the security of His love and not in an environment of condemnation. I used to tell my congregation that we ought to be the safest place on earth, that we ought to be the place, the people, where we can get on the bike and fall off and get on again with encouragement from one another.

 

As a pastor, and as an employer in business, I’ve watched folks go down roads that I pretty much knew were dead ends, but I knew that the roads needed to be traveled because the lessons needed to be learned and that there were no shortcuts for the lessons. I also knew that when harsh reality hit and disappointment enveloped folks, that I needed to be with them to encourage them to learn and try again – to figure out the difference between bread and a stone.

 

Sadly, most of us live in a world of condemnation – and this often includes church environments. Failure often leads to harsh criticism and ridicule rather than constructive coaching and learning. However, our heavenly Father want us to be secure in Him and secure with one another – loving one another as Jesus Christ loves us, being tenderhearted, laying our lives down for one another. (John 13:34 – 35; 15:12 – 17; Ephesians 4:32 – 5:2; 1 John 3:16).

 

Life together in the Trinity ought to be the safest place on earth.

 

When our Father answers our prayers with what C. S. Lewis terms Corrective Granting, we can be assured that He does so in His deep love for us – and we can trust Him to walk with us through the experience.