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| Aslan |
Saturday Kathy & I watched The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. As with the other Narnia stories I’ve seen, the movie begins with a glimpse of real world England during WWII. Then the children transition from this world to Narnia—a world just on the other side of an intermediary access, this time being a sea painting hanging in a bedroom. The children are engulfed by Narnia and taken over into the realm of fantasy. In this world, like in the real world, evil and fear lurk both within and without the human heart. A great presence in Narnia is the mighty lion, Aslan—even though his actual appearance is limited. In the end Aslan says “But there [in the real world] I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason you were brought into Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you might know me better there.”
The realm of Narnia is very similar to my bouts of mental illness. This world too was magical—full of hopes and fears and many unrealistic imaginings. Yet, at its core was the palpable presence of Aslan—Jesus Christ. He was real and tangible—the bridge between the present and eternity. Though I have long left my own crazy version of Narnia, I will never forget the encounters I found there—the spiritual Lordship of Jesus Christ. I have experienced firsthand the absolute reality and primacy of the spiritual dimension. This is a lesson I will never forget even after returning to the real world and its many transient delusions.
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