Thursday, 14 June 2012

He simply wants us

I came across this quote by CS Lewis via a picture Sandra shared from a page called 'Jesus Daily' on Facebook.  It's beautiful:

God doesn't want something from us.  He simply wants us. 
~ CS Lewis.

I wondered if anyone knows which Lewis book this is from?  I've searched online but cannot find it.

6 comments:

emerrube said...

I found a fuller quote of it, but not which book it is from. did you see this too? "God does not want just a few religious things form us — say, a tithe or a few hours of voluntary service or weekly attendance at a Bible study. As our Creator and Redeemer, he lays claim on every moment of our lives and has rightful jurisdiction over us. In the Christian faith, all of life is religious and fall under God’s authority. He gives all things to us; he demands all things from us. God doesn’t want something from us; he simply wants us.”

Sarah said...

Hmmm, I wonder where it is from? Lol, it's bugging me.

I didn't come across this fuller quote when I looked, thanks. :)

emerrube said...

I guess Gerald Sittser quotes it in his book "The Will of God as a Way of Life: Finding and Following the Will of God". If you can get the book you might be able to figure out where the C.S. Lewis quote comes from. :)

Sarah said...

I did think that, I wonder if I can find it free online? :)

Anonymous said...

This was bugging me too. I have come to find out that it is not C.S. Lewis. This quote as stated is Jerry Sittser in The Will of God as a Way of Life. he references the following section of C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity and is as follows:
"The Christian way is different: harder, and easier. Christ says "Give me All. I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down. I don't want to drill a tooth, or crown it, or stop it, but to have it out. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked - the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours."

Sarah said...

So it isn't Lewis, but Sittser expanding on Lewis's writing.

Thanks.