A Little Reading

It was a late night, last night, on N. Wintzell. Those of you that know me probably know that reading is one of my favorite pastimes, and the last week has seen me revisit a few old friends from my library. After catching a few minutes of the latest movie from the Chronicles of Narnia series, I took the opportunity to break out my copy to peruse again.

I don't know how many times I've read the Chronicles of Narnia, but I've spent considerably less time with them than I have with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Lewis's friend and fellow writer. (My relationship with Tolkien can wait for another day) My view of this collection was tainted at an early age when my PACE teacher required our class to watch a BBC presentation of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. At that time in my life, it was terrifically important to me that I not associate myself with anything "uncool" (at this point, any of you that know me at all are probably thinking what a good job I did of hiding this inclination towards "coolness")and this movie was definitely not "cool". Alas, I avoided the Chronicles like the plague.


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Fast forward a number of years later and I found myself in a new stage of life. I was a ministerial student preparing to leave for seminary and found that the Chronicles were acceptable reading material. I had long since left behind most of notions of cool/uncool but had never really given Narnia a second thought. At this point, I began to read a lot of quotes and references to C. S. Lewis and Narnia, and my curiosity was piqued. I picked up a copy of the entire collection and the rest is history.

Narnia will never replace Middle-Earth in my hierarchy of mythical lands, but it certainly has earned an important place at the table. In my current re-reading, I started in the middle, with Prince Caspian and have since worked my way through The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle. After finishing The Silver Chair last night, I felt compelled to go ahead and get a start The Last Battle. One thing led to another and I didn't sleep until I had finished it.

If you are familiar with the story, then you know that it presents a sort of Narnian apocalypse with Aslan bringing all things to right and the book closes with the Pevensies (minus Susan), Jill Pole, Eustace Scrubb, Digory, and Polly all joining with the other Narnians in Aslan's Land. It turns out that the humans from England were all killed in a railway accident and have joined Aslan for all eternity. (If you have never read the books, it's probably a good idea if I let you know that Aslan is a symbol for Christ throughout the story) After many adventures in the land of Narnia and having been drawn back and forth from their own country, the friends of Narnia are finally getting what they always wanted, to stay with Aslan.

This week, like many others, I've found myself with people who are spending their last days on earth. Like all of you, I wonder about the circumstances and details of my own passing. I don't know what it will be like. I carry within me the same fear of death that is the hallmark of humanity. When faced with the reality that this life will come to an end, I'm thankful that I have had my own glimpse of the great Lion and have experienced His grace, love, and presence. Knowing Him has given me a future to look forward to, because I know that He will be there. What will life be like on the other side? For those who have known Christ, He says this:

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." John 14:18-20

We'll be going to a place where He is, forever, and that's enough for me. After much waiting, little Lucy heard it put this way, "The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning."