Lord, make me a lioness! …or, Lessons from Lucy Pevensie
C.S. Lewis’ series The Chronicles of Narnia contains many allegories and truths relating to our lives as Christians. While re-reading Prince Caspian today in anticipation of seeing the new movie, I was touched by one lesson in particular. Aslan, who represents Jesus Christ, has revealed himself to Lucy, the youngest of the four Pevensie children. It is the first time anyone in Narnia has seen Aslan in a long time.
Lucy buried her head in (Aslan’s) mane to hide from his face. But there must have been magic in his mane. She could feel lion-strength going into her. Quite suddenly she sat up. “I’m sorry, Aslan,” she said. “I’m ready now.”
“Now you are a lioness,” said Aslan. “And now all Narnia will be renewed. But come. We have no time to lose.”
…”Now, child,” said Aslan, when they had left the trees behind them. “I will wait here. Go and wake the others and tell them to follow. If they will not, then you at least must follow me alone.”
Lucy has been charged with a pretty big task from Aslan–but only after she spends time in his presence and feels the impartation of lion-strength. Aslan has adopted her as his own (“Now you are a lioness”) and she becomes his servant. Because Lucy is willing to go where he will follow and to lead others to follow him as well, “all Narnia will be renewed.”
Lucy keeps her promise to Aslan. She goes back to camp and manages to wake her siblings. Though they are quite unbelieving at first, they decide to trust her. They follow her to where Aslan is waiting…but sadly, because of their unbelief, none but Lucy can see Aslan with their eyes. It is up to Lucy, the youngest and most child-like, to fearlessly follow Aslan and lead the others in his wake–just as he instructed.
“But she forgot about them when she fixed her eyes on Aslan. He turned and walked at a slow pace about thirty yards in front of them. The others had only Lucy’s directions to guide them, for Aslan was not only invisible to them but silent as well. …Lucy had her eyes on the Lion and the rest had their eyes on Lucy.”
As the travelers follow Lucy’s fearless pursuit of Aslan, their assurance in her being led by Aslan slowly grows. And as their faith grows, Aslan begins revealing himself to them. Even as Lucy follows the great Lion seemingly over a cliff, a path appears
that makes the way possible. As she focuses only on Aslan, not on her
surroundings, she doesn’t allow fear in but trusts him with her life. Before long, all of the children can see Aslan’s figure with their own eyes, and their faith in him is renewed.
As I read this chapter, all I could think about was that I want to be like Lucy on that night she followed Aslan so trustingly…All I could think was,
Most of the time I don’t feel like a lioness…I feel more like a kitten. Cute, soft, playful. More likely to purr and cuddle than roar with passion and power. But Romans 8:14-17 (slightly adjusted, as I read it) tells me that “those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For I, Katie Rowland, did not receive a spirit that makes me a slave again to fear, but I received the Spirit of daughtership. And by him I cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with my spirit that I am God’s child. Now if I am God’s child, then I am an heir–an heir of God and co-heirs with Christ.” Likewise, Ephesians 3:20 tells me that God is able to do “immeasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to HIS POWER that is at work within me.”
Like Lucy following Aslan after he made her a lioness, the desire of my heart is to follow after Jesus in all that I do. I don’t want to be a kitten–I want to be a lioness, a daughter of the King! Many
hours have I spent in the presence of my Lord Jesus Christ, and now I
sit up and say to Him, “I’m ready.” I know the Lord has been preparing me for this particular journey, the World Race, for a long time. My path right now consists of serving in 11 countries in 11 months, but I want to follow Him even when I can’t see the path.
Though you may think I’m CRAZY and see this going away for a year as literally going off a cliff–leaving behind a comfortable life in America, taking a path that diverges from all things normal (career, family, etc)–I only hope Jesus will begin to reveal himself to you, and you will desire to follow after Him as well.
