Ever get an idea while sitting in church (other than muzzling annoying children, perpetual conversationalists . . . or the preacher)? C. S. Lewis did once. In July 1940, he wrote to his brother, Warnie:
Before the service was over – one cd. wish these things came more seasonably – I was struck by an idea for a book wh. I think might be both useful and entertaining. It wd. be called As one Devil to Another and would consist of letters from an elderly retired devil to a young devil who has just started work on his first ‘patient’. The idea wd. be to give all the psychology of temptation from the other point of view.
Many of you can already surmise that this was the beginning of The Screwtape Letters. Lewis wrote that he had returned to church after a “many weeks” absence due to illness. I am glad he felt up to going to church that day!
I note this now because I just had a similar experience this past Sunday. (And I beg your forbearance as I depart a bit from the subject of history now.) I don’t recall it being prompted by anything in the service of Holy Communion itself. Nor was it as momentous as Lewis’ idea to be sure. Perhaps it was just my mind wandering as it is prone to do when it should be fixed on the Lord? Nonetheless I got an idea how better to put my history studies to use. And I already consider it so much better than what I previously had in mind that I am very thankful. (More on the guidance perhaps in due time. But don’t worry; I intend to keep blogging here.)
So, yes, I do think God sometimes rewards attending to him in worship by very personally giving us good ideas as to how better serve him out in the world.
Or at least that’s my excuse for my mind wandering in church.
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