I have gone over my set notes on a message about destiny. I recall one phrase that was quoted from the book by C.S Lewis, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. The moment the speaker said the quote I knew exactly what the context was. However, I haven't read that book in six years! It's funny how things don't really leave our minds. Well, I made a note a few weeks ago, to look back, find that quote and read it again. I scribbled it down fast. Most of the time I do not actually do the things I “remind” myself to do. Yet, for some reason, curiosity got the best of me. I succeeded in looking back through a few chapters. I have copied over a few extra passages along with it. You do not need to have even heard of this story, it's easy to follow:
Chapter 7: A Day with the Beavers – pg 141 (Mr Beaver spoke the name “Aslan”)
“And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something which you don't understand but in the dream it feels as if it has some enormous meaning – either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like that now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer.”
Chapter 8: What Happened After Dinner – pg 146
(Mr. Beaver):“ '....He'll settle the White Queen all right. It is he, not you, who will save Mr Tumnus.'
'She won't turn him into stone too?' said Edmund.
'Lord love you, Son of Adam, what a simple thing to say!' answered Mr Beaver with a great laugh. 'Turn him into stone? If she can stand on her two feet and look him in the face it'll be the most she can do and more than I expect of her....'”
(Then the children refer to Aslan as a man)
'...Aslan a man!' said Mr. Beaver sternly. 'Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great Lion.'
'Ooh!' said Susan. 'I'd thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.'
'That you will, dearie, and make no mistake,' said Mrs Beaver; 'if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly.'
'Then he isn't safe?' said Lucy.
'Safe?' said Mr Beaver; 'don't you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.'”
I do not wish to take away from the glory of Mr Beaver's words in that last line, but another word is spoken, that is just as powerful, and I am afraid that if I don't point this out directly, it would be read over, passed by. So, please read this last quote as meaningful truth to note upon:
“'I'm longing to see him,' said Peter, 'even if I do feel frightened when it comes to the point.'”.....
Here is my first little bit! Peter desires to look upon the face of a lion; “The Mighty Lion.” He longs. He wishes to pursue Him, to know of this great King whose name is intriguing. Although he admits that he holds a respected fear in the grand seem of things, but he LONGS to see him.
On the aspect of pursuing, God is full of it....in a really good way!!
In February, I discovered a concept that I realize has ALWAYS been in my life, since the beginning. It's this consistent-repeating-persistence. When I discovered that things have always been pointing to God, it awed me. I wanted to drag that thought out deeper. Around March, a book was recommended to me. I wrote it down and picked it up in the bookstore at church. Ha, and here's the funny part, when I was looking on the shelves for it, I found “Organic God” - another book by the same author – another book that I had looked at a year ago and almost bought....It's just funny because I think it is, I guess.
The book that I intended to find, (the book HE intended me to find) I found. It's titled “the Sacred Echo – hearing God's voice in Every Area of Your Life” by Margaret Feinberg. The title is eye catching alone! Ahhh such a great book (if you know me, and are intrigued, let me know, you can totally borrow it!)
I went on a planned trip to Florida a few days later, and figured why not read “Sacred Echo” on the plane ride! I love reading, but I always seem to struggle with setting “important” things off to the side. With about three and a half hours in the sky, I certainly had no other thing to do, but read. Ah, what a read it was! So inspiring, and amazing. I began to see even more repeated messages. And I will probably quote it often, but I'll save those for other points in other moments. For now, I'll stay on task...
Now, those two chapters above were quoted with a great intention. For those who I've left out of the story, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second book in a fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Also, it would be important for you to know that Mr and Mrs Beaver are actually beavers. So, to remain on the topic of animals I'll share a recent animal story. We have this family dog, named Carrie. She is a sweet dog, a brittney-spaniel mix, and is about twelve years old. She is so gentle, and loyal, but we all jokingly call her “strange dog”. For she'll go up to anyone at anytime, sitting or standing, and put one front paw on one's leg. She desires attention for sure!
Then, there's this other thing she does. It drives me insane. I avoid her a lot because of it. Yet this thing she does, is hard to avoid! Carrie is constantly either right under my feet, or is right in the path of where my feet want to go. It never fails. When I bump into her, and she doesn't move, she just looks up with those melt my heart brown eyes. Then I tell her to go away, I turn and she's in the spot where I want to go again.
I told my mom last night, “Ugh! She does this intentionally!!!”. It's so irritating. And it's not just a once in awhile type of thing, it's supernaturally every moment of the day. I am not exaggerating in the slightest. After I said those words of frustration to my mom, I went into my thoughts. I actually prayed about it! I said to God that surely this is not coincidence. I then asked him, “Do you want to show me something here?”
Hahahaha! O boy! I feel God replied with, “You bet I do! I thought you'd never ask! Don't you know this is my heart!!! Persistently at your feet. I am so close to you, you don't always see me! You don't always pay attention to me. I am always loyally by your side. I am persistent. Even when you are not. I am here even when your mind is not. I am not going away Lilly. I am pursuing you. Come on! COME and pursue me more, and more, and more, and more!!” Ahh. What a way to be taught. I say, God can do anything He wants. Shape and mold our lives in ways beyond our dreams. Though sometimes in ways that are in our dreams!
Our mind is an interesting organ, and God created it with great purpose! There's something about the description C.S Lewis wrote about how the four children (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy) felt when the name of Alsan was spoken, that has always stirred me. I haven't read that book in a long time, but there's just something deep in my heart that knows knows knows that it ties in with the Lord. I can so relate to each feeling, “sensation of mysterious horror; brave and adventurous; as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by; when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer.”
When I think of the name Jesus. My heart thumps faster, my mind is more a peace. When I say “Daddy God”, I feel my Father's arms literally embrace me. Even the slightest thought of Him, causes me to shake, and be in total wholeness with Him. I feel that the description in that one bitty paragraph is the way it is intended for us to feel about such a great King! When I read the Bible, and keep in mind of what Christ has restored to my life, in the same way!
Alright, there are many bits and pieces, but stay with me, I have a bit more to connect!
Now, referring and connecting back to chapter 8 and page 147, the point made of how Aslan would “settle the White Queen all right”. Christ has already restored for us the separation between us an our Heavenly Father; He has already won! One day He will stomp His heel on the enemy and settle it all! What a promise! No more suffering, nor shame!
Haha, Edmund questions if the queen could turn Aslan into stone! It amazes me the response he receives “..If she can stand on her two feet and look him in the face it'll be the most she can do and more than I expect of her.” I mean wow and holy cow this is awesome. The enemy is so small compared to our Great God! He can't stand up straight before our God and look Him in the eye! Yes it is important to stand firm and fight with the sword of truth. But the odds are actually in our favor! He has already won us over!
What really brings a chuckle to me now, is the fact that Alsan is not a man. Our Lord is no man, He is an eternal and supernatural being. A god, in fact the God. The Great Lion! In Revelation 5:5 it states “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.” I mean how awesome is that!? And I am not one who is totally comfortable with the book of Revelation, it's beyond my understanding, beyond the box I put myself in. I am working on it though, for sure! Which brings me to my next point:
“Safe?” said Mr Beaver; “don't you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”
This is the very quote I heard, the one I mentioned that started me on this whole idea. Obviously I've expanded it, just a tad. But let me just say the very intention of what this means! I ask you: is stepping out into a relationship with God, who can totally wreck the world, safe? Heck no! But God is good. He is SO good. He is the King! HIS ways are far greater and superior than ours. He will not give us anything He knows we cannot handle. Everything points to Him. He pursues us like no other. The glory is a risk, but it is good.
He has intention, and purpose.
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