On the Shelf

There are certain books that I have read in my lifetime that hold a special place on my bookshelf (and in my heart) . The Chronicles of Narnia is one of those books. When I closed the cover of the last book, I almost flipped it back over and started reading it again immediately. It is, in fact, one of the only books that I have been able to read twice (and could probably read a hundred times more). The way C.S. Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia, tucking so many deep underlying thoughts and meanings into the pages, just amazed me. I laughed, I cried, I gasped and I praised God through-out the entire story.

“Your father and mother and all of you are - as you used to call it in the Shadowlands - dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.”

And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion;…

-The Last Battle

This last quote; I read it, then stopped, and had to catch my breath as the reality of what was being said washed over me...

Death will be just the beginning, this life is just a term that will soon be over. The celebration, the holiday, the morning has yet to come, and the never-ending joy that we so hope for will be our reward. God, whom we long to know intimately, will be before us in all of His glory, in His true, and mighty form. With our loved ones surrounding us, we will find peace and never-ending happiness while we praise God for the journey that He lead us safely through. A perfect ending to any story.

"Oh, Aslan," said Lucy. "Will you tell us how to get into your country from our world?"

"I shall be telling you all the time," said Aslan. "But I will not tell you how long or short the way will be; only that it lies across a river. But do not fear that, for I am the great Bridge Builder."

-The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

This may be my favorite quote in the entire book, the comfort that those six words can bring to a weary and tired soul: "I am the great Bridge Builder!" God has created a way for us to go to heaven. We don't know when we'll get there, but we have been assured that when the time comes, it will be worth any trials and tribulations that we may have faced on the journey. In the meantime, we are assured (over and over again in the Bible) not to fear, because we know the one who holds the power to carry us through any storms and in the meantime, build a bridge of blood that will safely carry us across. The thought of it all makes me want to shout out in praises with hope and joy and understanding.

Yes, this book will forever be cherished by my soul. Lewis knew exactly how to mirror Aslan as the God that I love, and that I long to continue worshiping for the rest of my life.