For Narnia and For Aslan!

With Easter coming up just a week away, I wanted to throwback to one of my favorite series, Narnia. This series won my heart back when I was a freshman in college and it never let go. So as we look forward to Easter, I want to talk about quotes by Aslan, Narnia’s representation of the Savior. 

“If the Witch knew the true meaning of sacrifice, she might have interpreted the deep magic differently. That when a willing victim who has committed no treachery, is killed in a traitor's stead, the stone table will crack, and even death itself would turn backwards.” (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, 2005 Movie)

I wrote about this one a couple years ago. The White Witch was conceited enough to think that Aslan could be defeated in the name of the “deep magic” holding Narnia together. It makes me wonder how the adversary can believe he has an edge against us in mortality. Satan thought he had won our souls when Jesus Christ died, but he must have overlooked just how powerful the Atonement would be in saving the sons and daughters of God.

“Oh, Adam's son, how cleverly you defend yourself against all that might do you good!” (The Magician’s Nephew)

Isn’t this true of human nature? It’s easy to disregard counsel and advice when it’s hard to do. We fight against people who have different opinions from our own and we get defensive. Maybe this is why Jesus Christ said that the meek would inherit the Earth. If it’s our pride that gets in the way of listening to God’s word, then it’s meekness and humility that enables us to turn to God to transform us into our best selves.

“To know what would have happened, child? No. Nobody is ever told that.” (Prince Caspian)

It would be impossible for me to tell you how much time I’ve wasted on the “what if” game. What if I had changed my career path sooner? What if I had mended bridges with that friend sooner? What if I’d held my tongue instead of losing my cool? It’s a beautiful thing to learn from the past, but when I let myself live there, it only brings me down. In the movie version, Aslan says that we can’t know what would have happened, but “what will happen is another matter.” So let’s learn from our mistakes and use it to better the future.

“I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the horses the new strength of fear for the last mill so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you.” (The Horse and His Boy)

I’ve written about this one as well. I remember during my first reading this book I was struck by these moments. It was a hard time in my life and this quote gave me comfort. Despite all the things weighing on my heart, I could tell the Savior was watching over me. Through friends, through family, through strangers. Despite how alone I felt, I was never alone. 

“But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.” (Voyage of the Dawn Treader)

Here’s a good one to end on. John Piper is quoted as saying “All heroes are shadows of Christ.” It’s a bit more explicit in Narnia than in other series, but wherever there is good, you can find the attribute of Jesus Christ. Of course there is no better place than scripture to find those Christ-like attributes. So as we head towards Easter, let’s take some extra time to search and learn of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us.