In my preparation for the next sermon I am preaching on July 17, I am re-reading C.S. Lewis’ The Weight of Glory. The quote below reminds us that our hope is in the glory of God, but we do not know that glory fully at once. Just like when we learn to write, we don’t immediately start writing poetry, or when we start talking we don’t immediately recite Shakespeare, we don’t experience the fullness of God’s glory at the moment of believing in it. God’s glory becomes more and more rewarding through obedience.
Those who have attained everlasting life in the vision of God doubtless know very well that it is no mere bribe, but the very consummation of their earthly discipleship; but we who have not yet attained it cannot know this in the same way, and cannot even begin to know it at all except by continuing to obey and finding the first reward of our obedience in our increasing power to desire the ultimate reward. Just in proportion as the desire grows, our fear lest it should be a mercenary desire will die away and finally be recognized as an absurdity. But probably this will not, for most of us, happen in a day; poetry replaces grammar, gospel replaces law, longing transforms obedience, as gradually as the tide lifts a grounded ship.
Check back Monday morning for a continuation of how obedience transforms us into the people God intended us to be.
William Knelsen 
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