Friendship-A Visit with the Greats

A friend loaned me a book recently that I truly enjoyed; 
A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and A Great War. 

It’s beautifully written by its author Joseph Laconte who explores the writing and faith of two legendary, brilliant Christian writers of the 20th century; C.S.Lewis and J.R.R.Tolkien. 

Laconte wraps his book-and theirs-into the context of World War I, called by many The Great War which literally and horrifically changed the course of human history. Both Lewis and Tolkien served as British soldiers. On and off, they lived and taught at Oxford and enjoyed a close friendship for years. 
 
Most well-known are Lewis’s books for children, The Chronicles of Narnia and his profound,engaging theological books like Mere Christianity & The Screwtape Letters. Tolkien is best known for The Hobbit & Fellowship of the Ring.

Leconte’s book is full of excellent quotes not only from the books I mentioned but from historians, philosophers, and theologians.  I was struck by a few of the quotes which are descriptions of true friendships. 

As you read these quotes, I hope your thoughts, like mine, will verify the ultimate friendship of our Savior Jesus Who gave Himself for us. He is our Way Maker offering us new life and irreplaceable,treasured friendship with Him and others. 

**”Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.” (Gimli, an honorable Dwarf Warrior in Tolkien’s Hobbit.) And surely Jesus is faithful and is always by our side in the darkness. 

 **Friendship makes prosperity more shining and lessens adversity by dividing and sharing it.“ (Cicero, Roman Philosopher) And this is a fine description of Jesus our Burden-Bearer. 

**”The bible contains divine thoughts about men, not human thoughts about God.”(Karl Barth, Swiss Theologian)

Barth’s perspective is a reminder about God’s vast love for us repeatedly expressed in the Older and New Testaments.  I hope you’ve enjoyed the quotes. Maybe you’ll revisit Lewis and Tolkien and offer a prayer of thanks to our Lord for His unconditional love and the blessing of having friends.

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” 
Walter Winchell, Columnist and radio news commentator (1897-1972)



No comments:

Post a Comment

Only One Name, Only One Verse

I n  my walk with the Lord, I’ve discovered that one verse can sustain me in times of crisis or challenge. Most of us have chosen what we ca...