Today is Good Friday, and the weight of this day is overwhelming. The Lamb of God, who is perfect and holy and good, was tortured and killed. Many know about Easter and acknowledge Good Friday, but the importance of it is sometimes hard to comprehend.
C.S. Lewis was blessed with an amazing writing talent, and created a beautiful analogy known as the The Chronicles of Narnia. It's commonly been told from Lucy's perspective, and as the stories progress, from Eustace's. But I think that the important character to identify with is not the heroic Peter, or the brave Susan, or even faithful Lucy, but perhaps Edmund.
Edmund was not in a good place. He resented Peter that bordered on hate for his older brother. They had moved to a large estate in the English countryside during World War II, living with an old professor. When Lucy came running during the middle of a game, saying she'd found a fantastical land, Edmund was jealous and his enmity flared at his sister. He teased her meanly, until, one day, he found himself the wardrobe, then in Narnia. It was beautiful, a wintry forest. After being almost run over by a "queen", and nearly stabbed to death by her driver, Edmund was taken into the carriage with a woman robed in furs. Something about her sent chills down his spine, but when she began complimenting him, Edmund relaxed, eating the food she provided and sharing about his brother and sisters. When he joined Lucy and went back to the real world, Lucy shared their story with Susan and Peter. Edmund promptly makes fun of Lucy, driving her to tears. When they all find Narnia, Edmund does his best to direct them to the White Witch's castle. After all, she had promised to make him king. As for his brother and sisters, a king needed servants, didn't he? After finding Mr. and Mrs. Beaver's dam, the Beavers tell them about Aslan. Unwilling to hear about this Lion that everyone is so excited about, Edmund runs off and finds the White Witch. She captures him, and he tells her where his Peter, Susan, and Lucy are, and who they are with, and about Aslan. When summer begins to come back to Narnia, it is evident that Aslan has returned. The good Narnians free Edmund from the White Witch, who comes into Aslan's camp to take him back. After all, he can't stay and must be killed for treason. Aslan talks to the White Witch, then roars so terrifyingly and so majestically, she flees. Aslan talks long with Edmund---a talk that Peter, Susan, and Lucy aren't allowed to hear. Only a few days later, Aslan is taken away, and killed on the stone table in Edmund's place. He rises three days later, and Edmund is never the same again.
We are so much like Edmund. We've committed treason, we've hated others, we've even hated God. We are the one's who deserved to die. Have you ever thought, my sin isn't that bad? Jesus died in our place. When he cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" I feel like that really shows us the depth of our sin, and His perfection. As our sin is placed upon His shoulders, and God's wrath pours out, we see how terrible our sin is, and how Jesus didn't deserve to die. He chose to, though. Jesus died for us for His glory, and because He loves us. It was God's plan from the beginning of the world to save us. To those who are Christians, He knew before the foundation of the world that He would draw you to become His daughter or His son. That also means He knew all your sin! Think about it! Jesus didn't die not knowing our sins, what we've done. He died to save us from them. Like Aslan knew Edmund's wrongdoings, He knew us and knew exactly that we didn't just sin---we are sinners. But praise be to God! He came to earth to save us! He is good! He is great! And to all who will believe in His Son as the forgiveness of their sins, and who will repent of their sin and turn to Him as Lord....He will forgive them completely. And, as in Narnia, Edmund didn't just go on his way. Aslan was his Savior and Friend. Praise be to God! Even as we realize our sin, as we say, as Isaiah did, "Woe is me! I am a man (or woman) of unclean lips!" Read Isiah 6. I love how the song, "Here am I" puts it:
Here am I, send me/A witness to splendor and great majesty /You saved me/ The cross is the coal that has cleansed me from sin/ I'm safe in the grace of the King of all kings
God is so good! Praise be to the Lord for Good Friday and His redemptive plan, that we might see His glory! He made it possible for us to know Him, which is literally the best thing that we can EVER do. Seriously, we're made to find total joy and satisfaction in Him---we all have a Little Mermaid Syndrome that can only be satisfied in Him. Praise God! Page Turner, over and out.
----page turner
C.S. Lewis was blessed with an amazing writing talent, and created a beautiful analogy known as the The Chronicles of Narnia. It's commonly been told from Lucy's perspective, and as the stories progress, from Eustace's. But I think that the important character to identify with is not the heroic Peter, or the brave Susan, or even faithful Lucy, but perhaps Edmund.
Edmund was not in a good place. He resented Peter that bordered on hate for his older brother. They had moved to a large estate in the English countryside during World War II, living with an old professor. When Lucy came running during the middle of a game, saying she'd found a fantastical land, Edmund was jealous and his enmity flared at his sister. He teased her meanly, until, one day, he found himself the wardrobe, then in Narnia. It was beautiful, a wintry forest. After being almost run over by a "queen", and nearly stabbed to death by her driver, Edmund was taken into the carriage with a woman robed in furs. Something about her sent chills down his spine, but when she began complimenting him, Edmund relaxed, eating the food she provided and sharing about his brother and sisters. When he joined Lucy and went back to the real world, Lucy shared their story with Susan and Peter. Edmund promptly makes fun of Lucy, driving her to tears. When they all find Narnia, Edmund does his best to direct them to the White Witch's castle. After all, she had promised to make him king. As for his brother and sisters, a king needed servants, didn't he? After finding Mr. and Mrs. Beaver's dam, the Beavers tell them about Aslan. Unwilling to hear about this Lion that everyone is so excited about, Edmund runs off and finds the White Witch. She captures him, and he tells her where his Peter, Susan, and Lucy are, and who they are with, and about Aslan. When summer begins to come back to Narnia, it is evident that Aslan has returned. The good Narnians free Edmund from the White Witch, who comes into Aslan's camp to take him back. After all, he can't stay and must be killed for treason. Aslan talks to the White Witch, then roars so terrifyingly and so majestically, she flees. Aslan talks long with Edmund---a talk that Peter, Susan, and Lucy aren't allowed to hear. Only a few days later, Aslan is taken away, and killed on the stone table in Edmund's place. He rises three days later, and Edmund is never the same again.
We are so much like Edmund. We've committed treason, we've hated others, we've even hated God. We are the one's who deserved to die. Have you ever thought, my sin isn't that bad? Jesus died in our place. When he cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" I feel like that really shows us the depth of our sin, and His perfection. As our sin is placed upon His shoulders, and God's wrath pours out, we see how terrible our sin is, and how Jesus didn't deserve to die. He chose to, though. Jesus died for us for His glory, and because He loves us. It was God's plan from the beginning of the world to save us. To those who are Christians, He knew before the foundation of the world that He would draw you to become His daughter or His son. That also means He knew all your sin! Think about it! Jesus didn't die not knowing our sins, what we've done. He died to save us from them. Like Aslan knew Edmund's wrongdoings, He knew us and knew exactly that we didn't just sin---we are sinners. But praise be to God! He came to earth to save us! He is good! He is great! And to all who will believe in His Son as the forgiveness of their sins, and who will repent of their sin and turn to Him as Lord....He will forgive them completely. And, as in Narnia, Edmund didn't just go on his way. Aslan was his Savior and Friend. Praise be to God! Even as we realize our sin, as we say, as Isaiah did, "Woe is me! I am a man (or woman) of unclean lips!" Read Isiah 6. I love how the song, "Here am I" puts it:
Here am I, send me/A witness to splendor and great majesty /You saved me/ The cross is the coal that has cleansed me from sin/ I'm safe in the grace of the King of all kings
God is so good! Praise be to the Lord for Good Friday and His redemptive plan, that we might see His glory! He made it possible for us to know Him, which is literally the best thing that we can EVER do. Seriously, we're made to find total joy and satisfaction in Him---we all have a Little Mermaid Syndrome that can only be satisfied in Him. Praise God! Page Turner, over and out.
----page turner
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