“No, he’s not safe. But he’s good.”
I love this conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and the children in C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. The Beavers are explaining to the children who Aslan is, the king, the Lord, the Lion.
Readers know the lion, Aslan, to represent Jesus Christ in the story. He’s not a kitty cat. He’s a lion. Ferocious. Deadly. Striking fear with his fangs and roar.
Of course he’s not safe. Lions have claws, stealth, speed and jaws with jagged teeth for a reason. They’re not house pets.
But he’s good, this Lion. You know that whatever he says is trustworthy truth. You know that whatever he does is always right. You know that wherever he goes you can follow.
He tells you to let go of what you have been controlling, and it doesn’t feel safe. He expects you to change, and you’re not sure you can. He demands priorities about our spending and saving, your time, your relationships and these disagree with your comfortable opinions.
He’s not safe to your comfort zone. But he’s good. He’ll lead you out of it to new paths, if you trust him. You’ll find new peace, new passion, and new purpose.
Here is the question, to determine how close you are to this. Are you willing to let Jesus be himself with you?
Or do you ask him to accommodate his desires to your agenda? Do you expect him to play a game of chess with you so that you can strategically manipulate his moves, just a little bit?
Do you dig in your heels and say, “Well, that’s just the way that I am” or constantly blame others as the ones who need to change?
Do you pray in a way that dictates your own desires more than discovering his?
Then listen to his words. “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it” (Luke 9:24).
Jesus isn’t talking about your physical life, but much more. He’s talking about all of life, including eternal life. You want to keep it safe, in your control, going your way. But that’s not good.
Let Jesus be himself with you. Let him lead as your Lion, and trust him striding into battle, jumping off cliffs, staying still in a dark corner, or crossing paths with people who aren’t like you. Not safe. But very, very good.
Are you willing to be vulnerable? That is a question that determines true love.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I want to let you be yourself with me. But I’m scared of losing control, even to you. Don’t change, Lord. Call me, again, from myself, to you. Lead me to lose myself in you. To find new life in your death and resurrection as my very own. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Read Luke 9:21-26. This expands into supporting truth from Jesus, solid truth to convince you to let him be himself with you, and to lose yourself in him. Find “the why.” What words of Jesus speak to you here, creating conviction in your soul that you need to make a change?