Present Concerns by C.S. Lewis requires two blog posts. There is one journalistic essay that is often quoted and noted on social media. I am always struck, when I am reading these books, that they were written decades ago, because in a lot of ways, what he is saying still applies today. There is truly nothing new under the sun. But unfortunately, humans of each generation either put a new twist on it or think it is the “worst ever.”

“I shall be surprised if the essay ‘On Living in an Atomic Age’ is not of greater concern today than when it first appeared” (page IX).

“In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anaesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty” (pages 91–92).

“And the real answer (almost beyond doubt) is that, with or without atomic bombs, the whole story is going to end in NOTHING” (page 93).

“If this world is the only world, how did we come to find its laws either so dreadful or so comic? If there is no straight line elsewhere, how did we discover that Nature’s line is crooked?” (page 99).

“Oddly enough, the question becomes much less sinister the moment one realises that Nature is not all. Mistaken for our mother, she is terrifying and even abominable. But if she is only our sister—if she and we have a common Creator—if she is our sparring partner—then the situation is quite tolerable” (pages 99–100).

“For it is part of our spiritual law never to put survival first: not even the survival of our species” (page 100).

“Those who care for something else more than civilisation are the only people by whom civilisation is at all likely to be preserved. Those who want Heaven most have served Earth best. Those who love Man less than God do most for Man” (page 101).

I find these thoughts both convicting and comforting. We can look at the world around us and feel like things are spiraling out of control. But as believers in Jesus, we know this is not the case! I remember, as a young teen, hearing people talk about hairspray and the ozone layer and how we were all going to burn up. I expressed these concerns to my dad, and he spoke the truth that the earth will last as long as God intends it to last. It will not disappear or burn up with us believers still on it!

And I have held to that, to the truth of God’s Word, and to the truths that C.S. Lewis expressed in this essay. We like to escalate and elevate our present-day concerns to the point of obsession, driven by the fear of the unknown. No matter what conspiracy, evidence, or war arises around us, we can rest in the assurance of a sovereign God who holds my tomorrows in the palm of His hand!

Present Concerns by C.S. Lewis requires two blog posts. There is one journalistic essay that is often quoted and noted on social media. I am always struck when I am reading these books that they were written almost years ago, because in a lot of ways what he is saying still applies today. There is truly nothing new under the sun. But unfortunately, humans of each generation either put a new twist on it or thing it is the “worst ever”.

“I shall be surprised if the essay ‘On Living in an Atomic age” is not of greater concern today than when it first appeared (page IX).”

“In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentence to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to due in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors – anaesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty. (page 91-92)”

“And the real answer (almost beyond doubt) is that, with our without atomic bombs, the whole story is going to end in NOTHING. (page 93)”

“If this world is the only world, how did we come to find its laws either so dreadful or so comic? If there is no straight line elsewhere, how did we discover that Nature’s line is crooked? (page 99).”

“Oddly enough, the question becomes much less sinister the moment one realises that Nature is not all. Mistakane for our mother, she is terrifying and even abdominable. But if she is only our sister – if she we have a common Creator – if she is our sparring partner – than the situation is quite tolerable (page 99-100.”

“For it is part of our spiritual law never to put survival first: not even the survival of our species (page 100).”

“Those who care for something else more than civilisation are the only people by whom civilisation is at all likely to be preserved. Those who want Heaven most have served Earth best. Those who love Man less than God do most for Man (page 101).”

I find these thoughts both convicting and comforting. We can look at the world around us and feel like things are spiraling out of control. But as believers in Jesus, we know this is not the case! I remember as a young teen hearing people talk about hairspray and the ozone and that we were all going to burn up. I expressed these concerns to my dad, and he spoke the truth that the earth will last as long as God intends it to last. It will not disappear or burn up with us believers still on it!

And I have held to that and to the truth of God’s Word and to the truths that C.S. Lewis expressed in this essay. That we like to escalate and elevate our present day concerns to the point of obsession driven by the fear of the unknown. No matter what conspiracy or evidence or war that arises around us, we can rest in the assurance of a sovereign God who holds my tomorrows in the palm of His hand!