Similar to many individuals, I even have loved The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis for a few years. While I didn’t read this series once I was a toddler, I quickly fell in love with the characters and the plot line as a young adult.
If you may have not yet read The Chronicles of Narnia, I couldn’t encourage you more. The characters are beautifully written, and you may find a way to relate to at the very least one among the characters inside the series.
The biggest character within the series is Aslan. Aslan is an allegorical depiction of Jesus inside the world of Narnia. He is a robust lion, who’s capable of help the assorted characters of the book. Throughout every battle, Aslan delivers His people and brings them justice.
Although there are occasions when Aslan just isn’t present in Narnia, He is all the time watching over the people of Narnia. If you should learn more about Aslan or you’re considering this beautiful character Lewis created, listed here are five pieces of encouragement from this glorious lion.
1. ‘Things Never Happen the Same Way Twice’
One piece of encouragement from Aslan is present in his words, “Things never occur the identical way twice.” Within this context, Aslan is talking to Lucy; nonetheless, the message rings true for us as well. Things never occur the identical way for us throughout our lives.
Although God may answer our prayer in a technique at a certain time of our life doesn’t mean He will answer one other prayer in the identical exact way. We need to trust within the Lord’s timing. Just as Aslan all the time was there for Lucy and her siblings, so will God be there for us.
Aslan is God inside the Narnia series, which is why he’s so powerful and feared. Lewis knew this as he created the story — as he desired to convey a robust creature, yet one with love and kindness. This is precisely what’s conveyed to us through Aslan’s character.
When Aslan tells Lucy that things never occur the identical way, we are able to take solace in it. While it is gloomy that things won’t occur the identical way twice, we are able to sit up for recent adventures, recent answered prayers, recent hopes, and recent dreams.
2. ‘You Doubt Your Value. Don’t Run from Who You Are’
A second piece of encouragement from Aslan is when he says, “You doubt your value. Don’t run from who you’re.” Yet again, this can be a quote from Aslan when he’s talking to Lucy within the bookThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
Lucy was doubting her value as an individual because she views herself as not being beautiful. Rather than considering she is gorgeous, she desires to appear like her sister, Susan. Lucy believes Susan is gorgeous, and this causes her to wish to be Susan as an alternative of herself.
Even though that is what she thinks she wants, it just isn’t true. Lucy is shown an alternate reality where she is Susan and Lucy herself not exists.
Due to Lucy never existing, the 4 siblings never find Narnia. Through this, Lucy sees her value and knows she is invaluable, beautiful, and loved just as she is. This is something all of us must apply to our own lives as well.
There are persistently when I even have related to Lucy, and I needed I looked like another person. Maybe that is true for yourself also. At these times, remember what Aslan says, “Don’t run from who you’re.” God Himself created you splendidly and beautifully (Psalm 139:13-16).
While it is straightforward to check ourselves to others or to wish we looked otherwise, we’ve got to keep in mind that there is barely one among us. There is no one like us in your complete world, and God has great plans for our lives that only we are able to complete.
3. ‘I Have Come’
A 3rd piece of encouragement from Aslan is when he says, “I even have come.” Lewis’s use of words here for Aslan truly symbolizes the return of Christ. There will probably be a day in the long run when Jesus will return, and He will restore His people.
Not only will He restore His people, but He will even destroy all evil. Aslan does this throughout The Chronicles of Narnia, and just as Aslan has come to avoid wasting Narnia, Jesus will return to revive His people.
Oftentimes, we are able to feel just like the Narnians. There are hundreds of years of no documentation of Aslan, which causes many Narnians to doubt Aslan’s existence and his goodness.
Sadly, lots of us have done the identical with God. When we discover ourselves on this place, we want to keep in mind that Jesus will come, and He will destroy all evil. He will establish the New Heaven and New Earth, where we’ll never face death, fear, or problems ever again (Revelation 21).
4. ‘My Country Was Made for Noble Hearts Such as Yours, No Matter How Small Their Bearers May Be’
A fourth piece of encouragement from Aslan is his words, “My country was made for noble hearts comparable to yours, irrespective of how small their bearers could also be.” This is a wonderful quote that may speak to our hearts, and just because it is true for Reepicheep, it’s true for us.
Aslan is referring to his country, referred to as Aslan’s Country inside Narnia. It is symbolic of Heaven. In other words, what Aslan is saying is that Heaven is made for noble hearts, identical to Reepicheep’s heart.
Even though Reepicheep was a mouse, his heart was true for Aslan. This is true for us in reference to Jesus. We may not be of noble birth or have a spot of prominence, yet the Lord looks at our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7).
He knows what’s inside our hearts and He has prepared a spot for us in Heaven (John 14:3). The Lord doesn’t take a look at our size, our financial status, or our social connections to deem our value. Rather, we have already got value in Him.
5. ‘This Was the Very Reason Why You Were Brought to Narnia, that by Knowing Me Here for a Little, You May Know Me Better There’
A fifth piece of encouragement from Aslan is, “This was the very reason why you were delivered to Narnia, that by knowing me here for slightly, chances are you’ll know me higher there.” Once again, this is an excellent encouragement to reflect on from Aslan.
When you take a look at this quote, its meaning might pass you at first. These words from Aslan encourage us to hunt him in our world, by which he’s Jesus. When Aslan speaks these words to the kids, he’s encouraging them to find him in their very own world.
By knowing him in Narnia, he hopes they’d know him of their world as Jesus Christ. Through this, Lewis is pointing readers to Jesus.
While his books faced backlash and judgment by many, including his friend J. R. R. Tolkien, Lewis’s work is good and truly captures the Gospel in addition to Christian growth.
When you wish encouragement, know that you may have already found the true Aslan — Jesus. By knowing Jesus, you may grow to know Him more, strengthen your relationship with Him, and trust Him irrespective of what.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Ingo Stiller
