Continuing the journey...

...through Narnia. I'm now on Prince Caspian, so I'm almost halfway through the series. And they have been so good. But this one has been the most different from it's movie (although I haven't seen the 3rd, but I'll be seeing it this week along with reading it's book beforehand). Especially as the kids travel to meet up with Prince Caspian. There's one scene in particular I'll focus in on. If you have seen the movie, you know where Lucy dreams of the trees coming alive again and talks to Aslan? Well, in the book this is real, not a dream. And her and Aslan return to the campsite and awaken the others, although the others cannot see Aslan (just as they couldn't see him at the gorge).

So, most of the lines given to that dream scene in the movie are found here. But Aslan rebukes (silently) her doubts a bit, because she would not follow him when no one else would either. And he tells her she must go to the others and wake them and follow him. She knows, however, that they will not be able to see him just yet. And that scares her. But she knows she must go and do as Aslan has asked. But in a moment of weakness, she buries her head into Aslan's mane, to hide from his face. "But there must have been magic in his mane. She could feel the lion strength coming up into her." And she goes and does what he said to do, he with her all the while, but the others could not see him. Edmund even remarks, "I do wish you wouldn't keep on seeing things. But let us wake the others."

How easy it is to run away from the things God would have us to do. How easy it is to be in His presence and yet not want to do what He is asking. Oh but how He answers us in those moments. He knows us and he knows our hearts! When our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts. And He gives us strength in our weakness. In our weakness, when we bury our faces in his shoulder, that is when His strength is made perfect. And we can go and do what He has asked of us, never leaving His presence, for He is always, always, always with us. Emmanuel doesn't change with the changing of seasons or holidays.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."