TAKE THE ADVENTURE THAT IS SENT US

In his Chronicles of Narnia book, The Silver Chair, C. S. Lewis has Jill Pole, Eustace Scrubb, and Puddleglum at a place of great decision.  A man whom we know only as “the Knight,” is tied to a silver chair.  He had been placed under a spell, what he referred to as an “enchantment.”  It held him in bondage.  He would vacillate between sanity and insanity. At night he became sane so his enemy saw to it that he was tied to the chair, trapped in an “enchantment” that for him was a prison.

            The knight begs Jill and Eustace and Puddleglum to cut him loose and set him free.  They are fearful because they don’t know whether or not he is telling them the truth, that should he be set free at night he would break the “enchantment.”

            As they ponder the matter they are reminded that they are on a mission from Aslan to find the lost prince, Rilian, and that on the mission they would encounter four signs that they were to act upon. The last of the signs was to be a moment when a prince would ask them to do something in the name of Aslan.  Now, the mad man in a silver chair is saying to them, “I adjure you to set me free.  By all fears and all loves, by the bright skies of Overland, by the great Lion, Aslan himself, I charge you.”  They are stunned.  Could this be the fourth sign? Is the man in the silver chair tricking them to set him free by using the words of the sign?  The question became a dilemma.  The dilemma because a choice.  What shall they do?  If they cut him loose and his trick works, they know he will kill them.  If they don’t cut him loose and it is the fourth sign, they will have failed on their mission for Aslan.

            Jill expresses her deep concern when she says, “Oh, if only we knew.”  Then Puddleglum speaks up and says, “I think we know.”  Eustace then asks, “Do you mean you think everything will come right if we do untie him?”  Puddleglum replies, “I don’t know about that. You see Aslan didn’t tell Pole what would happen.  He only told her what to do.  That fellow will be the death of us once he’s up, I shouldn’t wonder.  But that doesn’t let us off following the sign.”

            Lewis then shares this narrative,

They all stood looking at one another with bright eyes.  It was a sickening moment. “All right!” said Jill suddenly, “Let’s get it over.  Goodbye everyone…!” They all shook hands.  The Knight was screaming by now, there was foam on his cheeks. 

“Come on, Scrubb,” said Puddleglum.  He and Scrubb drew their swords and went over to the captive. 

“In the name of Aslan,” they said and began methodically cutting the cords. (From p. 145-146).

            Puddleglum had a great understand of faithfulness, faithfulness in light of uncertain outcomes.  His words are powerful, “Aslan didn’t tell Pole what would happen.  He only told her what to do.  That fellow will be the death of us once he’s up, I shouldn’t wonder.  But that doesn’t let us off following the sign.”

            Wow seems to be a childish and shallow thing to say here, but it’s all I got.  WOW!  Lewis brings the meaning of faith and obedience right down into the story of our own lives.  Do we have to be guaranteed good outcomes before we will follow God’s directions?  Do we have to be assured of success before we take action in the name of our God?  Is our survival the number one task of our lives? 

            Rilian’s freedom was not the last battle for Jill and Eustace and Puddleglum.  Together with Rilian they would immediately move into another battle for their lives, with outcomes unknown.  As they realize their fight wasn’t over Puddleglum asked Rilian to put on his armour, but Rilian would have nothing to do with it because, he said, “I rode in it as a movable dungeon, and it stinks of magic and slavery.  But I will take the shield.”  Lewis continues the story

He [Rilian] left the room and returned with a strange light in his eyes a moment later.

“Look, friends,” he said, holding out the shield toward them.  “An hour ago it was black and without device; and now, this.”  The shield had turned bright as silver, and on it, redder than blood or cherries, was the figure of the Lion

            “Doubtless,” said the Prince.  “This signifies that Aslan will be our good lord, whether he means us to live or die.  And all’s one, for that.  Now, by my counsel, we shall all kneel and kiss his likeness, and than all shake hands one with another, as true friends that may shortly be parted.  And then, let us descend into the City and take the adventure that is sent us.”  (167-168)

“Aslan will be our good lord, whether he means us to live or die…let us descend into the City and take the adventure that is sent us.”  No guaranteed outcomes, no promises of success, no hints at survival, just, “let us descend into the City and take the adventure that is sent us.” 

           

            In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (NASB).  Jesus calls us to empty ourselves of selfish ambitions and self-centered living and to come within the full embrace of His abundant life.  Alive in His life he then calls us to “descend into the City and take the adventure that is sent us.”  “The City” may mean different things to each of us.  Our “adventure” may not be the same.  It doesn’t matter because we have been embraced by grace, taken up our cross, and are caught up in whatever it might mean for us to be citizens of His kingdom. 

            What is the “adventure” sent you?  Where is Jesus taking you?  What is the name of your “City?”  Descend into it, and in the name of God take your stand and live your faith.   And, it wouldn’t hurt to remember Puddleglum’s counsel,  “You see Aslan didn’t tell Pole what would happen.  He only told her what to do.  That fellow will be the death of us once he’s up, I shouldn’t wonder.  But that doesn’t let us off following the sign.” 

Various and sundry outcomes don’t let us off following the sign.  Our adventure may take us to great heights.  It might take us to deep valleys.  It doesn’t matter because we have taken up our cross and are bent on following Jesus.  Now, caught up in the amazing grace of Almighty God, we entrust outcomes to Him. 

            In 1780 John Wesley presented what he called a Covenant Prayer. In that

prayer he challenged the people to pray:

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt,

rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things

to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

           

            In his prayer Wesley was taking up the call of Christ to follow Him no matter what it meant.  To paraphrase Lewis, he was indicating that he was willing to descend into the City and take the adventure that was sent him.  Outcomes didn’t matter.  Success wasn’t on his agenda. “I am no longer my own, but thine,” was the prayer and commitment of his life. 

            May the prayer of our lives be “I am no longer my own, but thine.”  May it be said of us that we descended into the city and took the adventure that was sent us.”  May our prayer be, “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling” (from the song, “Rock of Ages,” 1776).

Forward still