Editor’s note: Yesterday, we shared a devotion from The Chronicles of Narnia Devotional by C. S. Lewis and Rachel Dodge. You can read it here and then continue reading below. Enjoy!
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He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. — Psalm 18:16-17
From The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, chapter 15
“Oh, Aslan!” cried both the children, staring up at him, almost as much frightened as they were glad.
“Aren’t you dead then, dear Aslan?” said Lucy.
“Not now,” said Aslan.
“You’re not—not a—?” asked Susan in a shaky voice. She couldn’t bring herself to say the word ghost. Aslan stooped his golden head and licked her forehead. The warmth of his breath and a rich sort of smell that seemed to hang about his hair came all over her.
“Do I look it?” he said.
“Oh, you’re real, you’re real! Oh, Aslan!” cried Lucy, and both girls flung themselves upon him and covered him with kisses.
“But what does it all mean?” asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer.
“It means,” said Aslan, “that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know... And now—”
“Oh yes. Now?” said Lucy jumping up and clapping her hands.
“Oh, children,” said the Lion, “I feel my strength coming back to me. Oh, children, catch me if you can!”...
“And now,” said Aslan presently, “to business. I feel I am going to roar. You had better put your fingers in your ears.”
And they did. And Aslan stood up and when he opened his mouth to roar his face became so terrible that they did not dare to look at it. And they saw all the trees in front of him bend before the blast of his roaring as grass bends in a meadow before the wind.
Reflection
After Aslan’s death, Susan and Lucy rush to free his body, but the ropes are tied too tight. In their grief, they sit close to him until a tiny army of field mice comes to chew away the ropes.
As dawn arrives, the Stone Table cracks—and Aslan reappears, full of life and larger than ever! He plays and romps with the girls, but when he roars, they know he’s ready to take back Narnia.
In this chapter, Aslan’s heartrending death and triumphant resurrection are a glorious picture and reminder of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Just as the women went early to anoint Jesus’s body, expecting to find a heavy stone covering the tomb, so the girls went to be with Aslan’s body before dawn, though they were unable to untie him. When the Stone Table cracks and Aslan is gone, it echoes Easter morning, when a great earthquake rolled away the stone from Jesus’s tomb (Matthew 28:2). And just as the resurrected Jesus first appeared to a group of women (vv. 8–9), Aslan first appears to Susan and Lucy.
Perhaps best of all, Aslan’s triumphant roar reminds us of how powerful Jesus is.
Jesus Christ rose from the dead and defeated sin and death. Death could not hold Him. And the same power that brought Jesus back to life is at work in our lives right this very moment:
This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. — Ephesians 1:19–20 NLT
When Jesus gets ready to roar, we can be sure that He’s going to defeat the Enemy and take His rightful place in the land.
There are many times in life when we need Jesus, our Aslan, to roar for us. We need His power. His rescue. We need Him to silence our fears and beat back the Enemy. Psalm 18 shows us the roaring strength of our God on our behalf:
The Lord thundered from Heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot His arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning He routed them. The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at Your rebuke, Lord, at the blast of breath from Your nostrils. — vv. 13–15
Whatever you’re facing, remember that Jesus has the ability and the power to help. As the psalmist said, “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me” (Psalm 18:16–17).
And He can do the same for you.
Cry out to Him and ask Him to fight the battles you can’t win. Ask Him to come to your rescue.
Ask Him to roar.
Excerpted with permission from The Chronicles of Narnia Devotional by C. S. Lewis and Rachel Dodge, copyright C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd.
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Your Turn
Jesus rose from the dead defeating sin and death. The devil lost! Death has no power over Jesus. And His power is at work in our lives right now at this very moment. Ask Him to roar! ~ Devotionals Daily