The Garden

In the tradition of Dante's Divine Comedy and C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce another author wrote a story about a journey through the afterlife. This author is the Micheal Phillips, an evangelical Christian and his book is called The Garden on the Edge of Beyond. It is in the context of a dream that he had that this takes place. It is a journey through a flower garden to see the different people who would be met there to help him be able to see God more fully. For him this takes place in a flower garden, since he has a great love of flowers and all growing things. He finds that each new and unique bloom that he finds is the work he has done for Christ in his life. How each soul reacts to him shows itself in a particular bloom some beautyiful to look at and smell as a rose is. But others are hideous in look and smell as a skunk weed is to most people, these are his sins. Each part of the garden will react differently to the person present in it. In one section the ground becomes as waves in the ocean crashing onto the shore, this is due to his guide. His guide is none other then C.S. Lewis. He also finds out that for Lewis this place was not a garden but a library filled with books each needing to be read and opened to find what was there. Just as each flower needs to be smelled in order to undergo the change that the bloom represnts, so his soul may become more wholly real. It is the process of becoming real that is important. A work that can be begun in the world through how we live and the honor we do to God. But this work will never be complete here, only after our life is ended can we find ourself totally. We must work towards it, so we can see God quickly after we die. What will your garden look like? What smells will be there? Will it be pleasent to be in or will it be bleek and dark as the world of Mordor? Start planting the seeds now and they will bloom in eternity. Live for Christ and be a light to the world. A beautiful fragrance to all who come across your path.