Beruna

One of the surprise delights of parenthood has been the movies. I have seen every Pixar movie in the theaters (and many times more on DVD). But I didn't have to wait until the line was empty, race to the counter and whisper through the glass, "Two for Monsters, Inc." I didn't have to wait until the hallway was empty to duck into the theater. With kids in tow, you get to see some great flicks without the skulking!

Another delight has been reading. When I was a child, I never read The Chronicles of Narnia. None of them. Nope, not even my English teacher, Iola Kludt (scout's honor), made us read them. Since I've been married, I've read them through at least four times. All of them. One time it was just me and my bride...shhhh.

I have the pleasure of embarking on read number five. My daughters, six and four, have come to love the Peavensie children and we are only on book two, Prince Caspian (btw, you must read them in the order Lewis wrote them and NOT in the Narnian chronological order which is how some nitwit decided they must now be published. It makes a mess of things. Trust me).

One more aside: Dad, if you've never read TCoN to your kids, go buy the set and get at it. And you must create different voices. Your kids won't know you had it in you. Maybe they will.

Anyway, near the end of Prince Caspian, after Miraz is defeated, Aslan goes on a romp with Susan and Lucy and with Bacchus, Silenus and all their party in tow. And yes, it was a party. As they go from town to town, starting near the Fords of Beruna, Aslan begins sticking his nose in places. The majority of folks scream and flee in terror most having never seen a lion and if they had, not one of His stature. A few folks understand who He is, they know that He is the One they have waited for their entire lives. The relief, joy, peace, and release they exhibit as they fall in with the celebrants stirred my heart in glee and in grief.

The allegorical message bounced plain from the page. Christ came that we might have joy and have it to the full (John 16:17-20). The folks who followed the Lion knew the fullness of joy. Those who fled the Lion, smelled the stench of death and oozed hatred (2 Corinthians 2:15-16, John 15:18-25).

I would love to live in a world of Bacchus and Silenus and Aslan and revelry. But our world is under the spell of the usurper Miraz. He sets himself up to be king; he is no king. The world has forgotten the blessings wrought upon it when they followed the Lion. Today, the trees no longer dance. The animals no longer speak. They have forgotten how and have become wild. One day the Lion will return and all will be set to right. Then, oh, the party!

Here is why I write. When I first began posting, it stemmed from discussions with men in my church on Wednesday nights. Not having enough time to discuss all the issues of the day from a biblical perspective, I began to highlight what was going on in science, politics, entertainment, etc. that exposed the deception of Miraz (Satan) and to exhibit in all of these that God's word proved true, excellent, and wonderful

Perhaps in so doing, I have not focused enough on the joy and delight found in knowing Christ as King for it is incomparable. At the same time, it would seem wholly inappropriate to fiddle a tune while my country and friends went up in flames about me. Balance and perspective are desperately needed. My Netflix queue bears that out much better than the sum of my posts.

I look forward to seeing you at "Up" in a few months. Until then, my girls and I will be at sea in the pages of "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader."
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(Add-on: Thanks to all who have hung with me through this the 400th post. You deserve a medal! Thanks for your encouragement and your scrutiny)