Ella and I have been reading through The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. She is still a little young to understand the entire story and all of the words, but I have also been surprised by how much she has retained. She has been the one to get excited each night, and ask to read another chapter. It has developed into a special activity for the both of us to do.
We are nearing the end of the book which in my opinion is the best part of the book. Chapter 14 is the part that Aslan is killed by the White Witch. It was heartbreaking at first to see Ella confused by why Aslan was killed. It made for the great conversation to get to draw the parallels between Aslan and our great King that died for us. At the end of talking she said, "Mom, so Aslan died just like Jesus died on the cross for me so I didn't have to." Wow, she got it! Her precious child like faith!
Last night we read Chapter 15 which is called Deeper Magic From Before the Dawn of Time. This is the chapter that Aslan returns back from the dead and is my favorite chapter of the whole book. Here is an excerpt.
"Oh, you're real, you're real! Oh, Aslan!" cried Lucy, and both girls flung themselves upon him and covered him with kisses.
"But what does it all mean?' asked Susan. "It means," said Aslan, "that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. When a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward."
"Oh, children,"said the Lion, "I feel my strength coming back to me. Oh, children, catch me if you can!" He stood for a second, his eyes very bright, his limbs quivering, lashing himself with is tail. Then he made a leap high over their heads and landed on the other side of the Table. Laughing, though she didn't know why, Lucy scrambled over it to reach him. Aslan leaped again. A mad chase began. Round and round the hilltop he led them, now hopelessly out of their reach, now letting them almost catch his tail, now diving between them, now tossing them in the air with his huge and beautifully velveted paws and catching them again, and now stopping unexpectedly so that all three of them rolled over together in a happy laughing heap of fur and arms and legs. It was such a romp as no one has ever had except in Narnia; and whether it was more like playing with a thunderstorm or playing with a kitten Lucy could never make up her mind. And the funny thing was that when all three finally lay together panting in the sun the girls no longer felt in the least tired or hungry or thirsty.
What an amazing literary picture of what it is to live with our Savior! I think Jesus says, "Catch me if you can!" and then leads us on the chase of our lives over hilltops and valleys. The key words being that HE LEADS. He is always hopelessly out of our reach as He is God and we are not, but allows us to "almost catch his tail" as we are able to draw close to and develop a relationship with him. The journey with Christ is unexpected, unpredictable, and indescribable. We never know where following him will take us, but we have the amazing security to know that when He tosses us in the air, He will always catch us with "His huge and beautifully velveted paws". Such strength and tenderness wrapped all together in the most wonderful harmony. Lucy said it perfectly that she didn't know if she was playing with a kitten or a thunderstorm. Our God is not safe. He is the God of the universe deserving reverence, fear and awe. Yet he also is there for us to curl up in His lap, to comfort us and walk with us. Then somehow in the process of chasing Him even if we are exhausted and panting from running, He refreshes us and we can no longer feel in the least tired or hungry. What an amazing God we serve! I hope that I can know God more like this each day and that you can too!
We are nearing the end of the book which in my opinion is the best part of the book. Chapter 14 is the part that Aslan is killed by the White Witch. It was heartbreaking at first to see Ella confused by why Aslan was killed. It made for the great conversation to get to draw the parallels between Aslan and our great King that died for us. At the end of talking she said, "Mom, so Aslan died just like Jesus died on the cross for me so I didn't have to." Wow, she got it! Her precious child like faith!
Last night we read Chapter 15 which is called Deeper Magic From Before the Dawn of Time. This is the chapter that Aslan returns back from the dead and is my favorite chapter of the whole book. Here is an excerpt.
"Oh, you're real, you're real! Oh, Aslan!" cried Lucy, and both girls flung themselves upon him and covered him with kisses.
"But what does it all mean?' asked Susan. "It means," said Aslan, "that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. When a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward."
"Oh, children,"said the Lion, "I feel my strength coming back to me. Oh, children, catch me if you can!" He stood for a second, his eyes very bright, his limbs quivering, lashing himself with is tail. Then he made a leap high over their heads and landed on the other side of the Table. Laughing, though she didn't know why, Lucy scrambled over it to reach him. Aslan leaped again. A mad chase began. Round and round the hilltop he led them, now hopelessly out of their reach, now letting them almost catch his tail, now diving between them, now tossing them in the air with his huge and beautifully velveted paws and catching them again, and now stopping unexpectedly so that all three of them rolled over together in a happy laughing heap of fur and arms and legs. It was such a romp as no one has ever had except in Narnia; and whether it was more like playing with a thunderstorm or playing with a kitten Lucy could never make up her mind. And the funny thing was that when all three finally lay together panting in the sun the girls no longer felt in the least tired or hungry or thirsty.
What an amazing literary picture of what it is to live with our Savior! I think Jesus says, "Catch me if you can!" and then leads us on the chase of our lives over hilltops and valleys. The key words being that HE LEADS. He is always hopelessly out of our reach as He is God and we are not, but allows us to "almost catch his tail" as we are able to draw close to and develop a relationship with him. The journey with Christ is unexpected, unpredictable, and indescribable. We never know where following him will take us, but we have the amazing security to know that when He tosses us in the air, He will always catch us with "His huge and beautifully velveted paws". Such strength and tenderness wrapped all together in the most wonderful harmony. Lucy said it perfectly that she didn't know if she was playing with a kitten or a thunderstorm. Our God is not safe. He is the God of the universe deserving reverence, fear and awe. Yet he also is there for us to curl up in His lap, to comfort us and walk with us. Then somehow in the process of chasing Him even if we are exhausted and panting from running, He refreshes us and we can no longer feel in the least tired or hungry. What an amazing God we serve! I hope that I can know God more like this each day and that you can too!
from poop to the reverance of our savior! wow! you're diverse in your topics! :)
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing this excerpt from the story. So encouraging!!