The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis is perhaps one of the most brilliant pieces of literature I have been privileged to read in this lifetime. It is a thrilling allegory that takes us into a colorful world of fantasy that echoes a deep reality. In reading it I found myself overwhelmed by the great truths that it presented and I found myself seeing some things in a way I had never seen them before. If you have never read this series it is my sincere recommendation that you dive in. You will not be disappointed.
However, there was no way I could read some of this without sharing about it. I welcome your input and I will try not to drag this out. But since there are 7 books, I’d like to share something that inspired me from each of them. I know what you are thinking and don’t worry, the answer is no, I’m not going to cover it all in this blog. That would be too long…even for me :)
Shall we begin?
The Magician’s Nephew
From the beginning we are introduced to the great Lion, Aslan, (an image of our Savior), and he sings Creation into existence. Those who are captivated by him hear the words to the most beautiful song they had ever heard, and experience life literally erupting all around them. But there were also those listening who did not share in this experience, namely one Uncle Andrew…
“When the great moment came and the Beasts spoke, he (Uncle Andrew) missed the whole point; for a rather interesting reason. When the Lion had first begun singing, long ago when it was still quite dark, he had realized that the noise was a song. And he had disliked the song very much. It made him think and feel things he did not want to think and feel. Then, when the sun rose and he saw that the singer was a lion (“only a lion,” as he said to himself) he tried his hardest to make believe that it wasn’t singing and never had been singing – only roaring as any lion might in a zoo in our own world. “Of course it can’t really have been singing.” He thought, “I must have imagined it. I’ve been letting my nerves get out of order. Who ever heard of a lion singing?” And the longer and more beautifully the Lion sang, the harder Uncle Andrew tried to make himself believe that he could hear nothing but roaring. Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. Uncle Andrew did. He soon did hear nothing bur roaring in Aslan’s song. Soon he couldn’t have heard anything else even if he had wanted to. And when at last the Lion spoke and said, “Narnia awake,” he didn’t hear any words: he heard only a snarl.”
I thought about this passage a lot. ‘Uncle Andrew’ is like so many of us today. I mean don’t we all start out with the song of God in our hearts? It’s like there is a place inside of us that longs for our Creator, our Father, but as we get older sometimes that song interrupts our plans. It brings conviction. It is a song that challenges who we are and what we are about. Some of us embrace it and it breathes life and purpose in us, but others begin to despise it. They begin to justify the things they do, living for themselves, a life without consequences. Does it sound familiar? Look around but don’t be fooled, I am not speaking about an “if it feels good, do it attitude” no, it is beyond that. In our world today, there is a conscious act of denying who God is or of making him whatever is convenient. No God - no consequences. Right? So those who want to just live their lives, their way, try harder and harder to drown out the voice, “…they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them – the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes!” (Romans 1:25)
Hmmm…you see the longer one denies the truth, the easier it is to believe the lie. It is so important to stay captivated and to set our eyes on things above and not on things on this earth. I love that the Bible tells me that my God rejoices over me with singing. I don’t know about you but I don’t ever want to be in a place where I can’t hear that love song…
There is so much more to tell :) Sing, Sing, Sing!!!
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