Farewell to the Shadowlands.
So last week I took up the challenge to try and read all seven of the Narnian Chronicles in a week, one a day. Well I can safely say that I succeded, having finished the Last Battle a few hours ago. Now I've decided to try and put together all my thoughts to see if they make any sense.
"If Aslan gave me my choice I would choose no other life than the life I have had and no other death than the one we go to "
Most people I think view Narnia as Christian fiction. While it is possible the greatest piece of Christian fantasy ever written (every time I see an author lauded as the "New C.S. Lewis" it makes my blood boil. No man can ever match up to his genius). Lewis (or Jack as he shall henceforth be refeared to) would have baulked at the idea of writing Christian fiction. He was a writer and he was a Christian. But that didn't make him a Christian writer. He simply wrote seven beautiful stories which the things he held most dear, his faith and his relationship with God bled into. The fact that they come across as alegory is quite conincedental (though by the end not very I think. Especially when Aslan takes the form of both a Lamb and a Lion a direct reference to Jesus being both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God). You can read them without understanding the Christian message. But when you do understand the message they are ten times, no a thousand times better. And Jack still has a lot to teach us through the Chronicles, three points of which I shall make here.
1: The way are experineces can have an effect on our everyday lives. At the beginning of their respective stories Edmund and Eustace are both complete ticks, arrogant, self serving and selfish. But by the end they are both fine upstanding young men who are fit to take their places in True Narnia. Their experiences in Narnia are what change them. And the same is true here in our world. While we are unlikely to be manipulated by a Witch or turned into a Dragon our choices and the way we live our lives still has a bearing on the people we become. We can make the right choice, or the wrong choice. And depending on which choice we make we can become stronger or weaker people. Time and time again within the books it is mentioned that "the air of Narnia had been working on them since they arrived" giving them the strength to do the job in hand. We don't have the air of Narnia to help us make the difficult decisions but we do have the Holy Spirit, our continual advisor who is even better.
2: Faith and a life in Christ is the greatest adventure we could ever know, even if it doesn't seem like it. The Greatest Adventure (as mentioned at the end of the Last Battle) is still to come, but for the moment we are embarking on the type of adventure that the greatest writer in the world could barely grasp and would probably be unable to put into words. This quote from the Voyage of the Dawn Treader helps make the point
"It isn't Narnia you know," Lucy sobbed "It's you. We shan't meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?"
"But you shall meet me, dear one," said Aslan."
"Are - are you there too, Sir?" said Edmund."
"I am," said Aslan. "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were bought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."
If (as seems to be the suggestion) all the Pevensies adventures in Narnia were simply a taste of what they would know in our world, than how much greater must our daily journey be. Never easy (because the greatest adventures never are) but supremly good with a conclusion the envy of any man. Eternal life with those we love.
3: Belief with proof is easy. Belief without proof is much harder, but the much greater example of loyalty. For we are fighting a battle every day, both against the forces of the enemy but also against ourselves, our temptaions and our weaknesses. It is easy to believe in God when we have the proof and things are going well. But much harder when things are going badly. A quote from Puddleglum the Marshwiggle (Silver Chair) also helps here.
"I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't an Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia."
That's the creed by which I live by. I'm on Jesus side, even if there isn't any Jesus. I'm going to live as like a Citizen of Heaven as I can, even if there isn't any Heaven. But there's another part of his speech which I think applies not only to me, but Christians the world over.
"Suppose this black pit of kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play world."
There will come a time in every Christians life when people try to put us down and convince us that what we believe in doesn't exist. And sometimes it will be easier to think their right. But as I said above things are never going to be easy. And I would rather believe in the fantasy and the hope of a better tommorow than accept the depressing, grim reality of the real world. Maybe one day I will be proved wrong, but I would given a choice have lived the most Christian, most Narnian life I could in the meantime
That's why from now, until the day I bid farewell to the Shadowlands and find myself moving further up and further in towards the Highest Heaven, the real world, my sword is sworn in service to the High King above all Kings, who sits at the right hand of his Father, and my banner will proudly display the Red Lion rampant.
"The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended:
THIS IS THE MORNING.