Meditate Day & Night
Maybe you’re a Chronicles of Narnia person, or perhaps you’re not. Today I want to tell (or remind you) of a bit of one story that illustrates a concept pertinent to our victorious walk as believers.
In The Silver Chair, the Lion, Aslan, gives one of the main characters, named Jill, a set of signs to watch for. Of them, he says this: “Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night, and when you wake in the middle of the night. And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your mind from following the Signs.” (Sounds familiar, right?) He also warns her that things will get much more confusing later on and never believe appearances but instead remember the signs. When she and her two comrades start their quest to find the lost prince, they begin by following the instructions, or signs, that Aslan gave them. This leads them into dangerous lands and terrible weather. The trio gets tired and hungry and very cold. In this wilderness, they meet a fine Lady and a silent Knight. The Lady tells them that they’ll find a city of giants ahead, though not the precise giants Aslan told them to look for. She tells them they’ll find real beds, hot meals and warm baths - precisely what they want! They thank her graciously and hurry towards the town gate.
They don’t know that when the Lady told them to pass along her greetings to the giants and say that she sent two lovely children for the autumn feast, she was slyly telling the giants she sent the children as part of the feast - to be eaten! (The third member of their trio was their guide, a marsh-wiggle, and a much less edible creature.) It takes them much time and cunning to escape the giants and get back to following the signs Aslan asked Jill to commit to memory and hold tightly to.
Whether we are new to following God’s instructions like Jill, or more experienced like the friend she had with her, our steps are not always crystal clear. We are at war; we will get tired and hungry and cold. Beware, dear friends, of the easy way out. Our adversary loves to offer us precisely what we want when we’re in the thick of things. But we know that’s not what we actually need. God promises in 2 Peter 1 that he gives us everything we need for life and godliness.
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It’s important to notice that there are two reasons we might be in a wilderness in our life and walk with the Lord. The first reason is that God has led us there. In that case, we must lean into the strength of his might - the only way we’ll be victorious is with the whole armor of God. This means believing what he says (shield of faith) and not listening to the enticing lies of the enemy.
Why else might you be hungry, tired and cold? Maybe you haven’t fed on the milk and meat of the word, rested in the Lord or entered the warmth of his throne room. If you are in a tough season out of obedience, there is peace and even joy available to you. When you keep trekking on, God sees your struggle and meets you there. If, on the other hand, you have neglected your relationship with the Lord, Satan is happy to provide you with a cheap replacement.
There is another lesson to be learned here. The Trio did escape their enemies who were ready to steal, kill and devour them. They remembered the signs Aslan gave them. And through much danger, toil and darkness, they completed their task.
Sometimes we do forget God’s words. Sometimes we believe our enemy’s lies. We, free children of the King above all kings, walk like slaves again. Oh, beautiful, painful repentance- our escape route from the scales that plague us. Let Yahweh wash them off and set your feet on the path again. Don’t let guilt keep you guilty. When you see that you’ve walked into a trap, let your humility follow God’s kindness into repentance. There may yet be consequences for your actions and ground to be gained. But you can trust our Father to lead you home.
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