A Lost Letter (Inspiration To All My Christian Sisters Out There)

"Behold the days are coming, says the Lord,

when I will make a new covenant with the house

of Israel and with the house of Judah."

Jeremiah 31:31

"And in a like manner, He took the cup after supper, saying,

"This cup is the new testament or covenant ratified in

My blood, which is poured out for you."

Luke 22:20

The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis is a fictitious diary of

scolding letters from a mature demon (Screwtape) to his young

nephew (Wormwood). It is Wormwood's job to keep a recent

convert to Christianity from being productive for Christ (the Enemy).

Screwtape's letter point out where Wormwood has failed or

missed an opportunity. I have often mused that there must be

a missing appendix to these letters somewhere

that must read like this....

Published in 1942, "The Screwtape Letters"

by Christian author C.S. Lewis was dedicated

to author J.R. R. Tolkien.

My dear Wormwood,

    

    The following instructions shall help

 you proceed in handicapping your convert's 

effectiveness in the Enemy's kingdom.

 One of our great allies at present

 is her perception of herself.

  It is your task, therefore, to feed her poor self-esteem.

 Already she wastes her time primping in front

 of the mirror and worrying about her looks.

A painting by Laszlo Gulyas

    You must continue to encourage her 

to compare herself with so-called, "spiritual giants"

whom she admires. This will eventually immobilize her.

 When she feels inadequate she will no longer

attempt anything for the Enemy's kingdom

 because of her fear of failure. 

Her warped self-image will lead to unhealthy 

 relationships and hinder her ability to love others. 

The more she tells herself that she is 

 a bad person-that she's not competent-the

 more easily she will feel threatened by others. 

This will turn others off to the Enemy

 and his loathsome Christianity.

    Ultimately, her relationship with

 the Enemy Himself will be adversely affected.

 Since she is not satisfied with how the Enemy has 

created her her intimacy with Him will be destroyed

and she will find it difficult to trust the Enemy,

 pray to Him, or read the detestable Book.

Finally, emphasize her weaknesses so repeatedly

 that she will begin to believe that she is 

unimportant to the Enemy.

   This will push her to compulsive striving

 to please Him through her own accomplishments.

 Her works will no longer be motivated by faith,

 but a dislike for herself. Confuse her so that

she never feels forgiven. 

If you successfully convince her

 that the Enemy is never pleased with her,

 she will grow weary and give up altogether.

 But, more of this in my next letter.

Your affectionate uncle,

Screwtape

    In his message to the church at Corinth,
 the apostle Paul assures us that we are letters

delivered by Christ, not written with ink on paper,
 but with the Spirit of the Living God

infused within our hearts. 

 The apostle further reminds us
 that it is not through our own

sufficiency that we prosper in our walk 
 of faith, but that the source of  our strength

 and ability comes from God alone.

    

    "It is He Who has qualified us, making us to be fit

and worthy and sufficient, as ministers and dispensers

of a new covenant of salvation through Christ, not

the ministers of the legally written code, but of

the Spirit; for the code of the Law kills,

but the Holy Spirit makes alive."

11 Corinthians 6:6

Painting by Michael Dudash



"A Lost Letter"
Beth Donigan Seversen
American Christian writer and pastor
of Women's Ministries