Aslan's Country: Focusing on the Finish

One of the most significant challenges of Christian education is to focus on the finish. In Hebrews 12:1, we are told to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (NKJV). Of course, as teachers, we can easily see how we can help students apply this idea to their lives, but we also need to apply it to ourselves. We should ask ourselves questions such as: “What is the finish of the task of educating students?” and “On what should our focus be?”

Many times, as educators, we struggle through the day-to-day process and fail to focus on the finish. We are called to prepare eternal beings for eternal life! Our “finish” is not creating students who are capable of obtaining a college degree or pursuing a successful career. In fact, the finish is not even the more admirable goal of equipping students for the calling God has placed on their lives. We must be careful not to settle for a finish that is anything less than helping students become adults who live for eternity. Adults who live for eternity are already becoming heavenly creatures here on earth. We must encourage students by teaching them that following Christ is more than following a set of rules. Following Christ means allowing Him to develop us into little Christs. One effective tool that can be used in Bible curriculum to facilitate the development of eternally minded followers of Christ is the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis.

In the Narnia series, C.S. Lewis uses the imagery of a mountain to represent what he calls “Aslan’s Country” (Lewis, Voyage of the Dawn Treader). Of course, Aslan’s Country is Lewis’ way of describing Heaven. However, when we study Lewis’ other works, it becomes clear that his idea of Heaven and its reality in our lives is not just an affair of the future. Lewis teaches in Mere Christianity that the process of becoming a heavenly creature begins at salvation and continues until we are made completely perfect in Christ’s presence.

In Mere Christianity, Lewis tells his audience that to become a Christian is to begin the process of becoming a “little Christ.” God’s intent is not to clean up our lives or correct some of the errors in our morality. Lewis warns that to enter into a relationship with Christ means that we are to be remade entirely. The Father’s intent is to transform us into a completely different type of creature, one that is perfect in its resemblance to Christ. This transformation is not just something that happens all at once on some appointed day in the future. Of course, there will be a drastic, sudden transformation for us at a future time in order to ultimately complete the work Christ began, but we have already set out on the journey of transformation presently in our lives. now. In other words, we Christians are now already in the process of becoming heavenly. Like any journey, this remaking process is strenuous. We will find it to be difficult and even painful at times. Setting out on any journey or adventure can seem overwhelming, especially one that we are told will be difficult and painful before we even begin. However, if we submit to Christ in this process and focus on the glory of the finished product, true treasures await us along the journey, even here on earth. Treasure such as joy, peace that surpasses all understanding, wisdom, courage, patience, love, life and life abundant, and best of all, FREEDOM! But of course, the true prize at the end of our journey is to find Aslan in our own country, become truly His, eventually meet Him face to face, and finally hear Him say: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

So, Aslan’s Country is not just an allegory for Heaven; it is the representation of the journey of sanctification. What is sanctification? Sanctification is the growth of Christians from the moment they declare Christ Lord of their life until the moment they meet Him face to face and become like Him completely. Growth, not necessarily closer to God, although this definitely happens as a result, but growth into becoming a son of God. This journey is rightly compared by Lewis to a mountain. At times, It will be rocky, and our feet will slip. At times, It will be dangerous, and there will be wolves lurking about. It will be cold at times, and we may feel abandoned. At times, the path may become difficult to see because of storms that pass over the mountain, and we may have a hard time finding our way up. At times, we will grow tired from climbing, and we will sit and rest. There will be distractions as we climb that can cause us to stray from the path. Rock slides may even block the path, and we will be tempted to give up. We may thirst, hunger, and have wounds that need tending.

The attitude we embody as we set out on this journey and how we handle the trials along the way actually determine how far we make it up the mountain in this life. One of the problems we face with this journey is our modern cultural ideology. Our current generation expects things to come fast, cheap, and easy. The idea of trekking a steep, rocky, unpredictable mountain is daunting. I can hear someone from our world saying: “Can’t we just fly to the top of the mountain in a helicopter? Or hitch a ride in a bus, jeep, a tram, on an ATV, anything? Or if all else fails, even a horse or donkey would do!” Surely there is a shortcut or easier path, we argue.

But, there are no shortcuts up this mountain. The clouds at the top are too thick for a helicopter, and the path is not made for any vehicle of modern man. No beast of burden can carry this load. No, we are left with no option but to set out on foot. One foot in front of the other. This is the only way. Though, we are not left without help. Remember, Aslan, Christ Himself, is attentive and intimately interested in the progress we make on this journey up the mountain. Of course, the Word He gives us, the Bible itself, is a complete instruction guide on how to trek this mountain. Also, we are offered help from other, more experienced Christians along the way. I believe that Lewis left us many examples of how to “run the race” and trek this path up the mountain in his Narnia series.

In The Magician’s Nephew, Digory is a young boy who has inadvertently brought evil with him into the newly forming land of Narnia because of his selfish and impulsive actions. When he meets Aslan, Digory is given a chance to make his wrongs right. Through Digory’s story, we learn the importance of repentance. Christ makes a way for us to continue the journey even after we make a mistake.

In The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Lewis introduces us to four children who discover the world of Narnia through a wardrobe in an upstairs room in the home of Professor Digory Kirk. After entering Narnia, three of the children, Peter, Susan, and Lucy set out on a journey to find Aslan and save their brother Edmund from Jadis, the White Witch. During this journey, they meet Father Christmas and are gifted with unique items. These gifts are special and are meant to prepare the children for a particularly difficult part of the journey ahead: the battle with the White Witch. The gifts themselves are instructive to us in nature, but what Father Christmas tells Peter about his gift is a message to all Christians. Father Christmas tells Peter that the gifts he is being given are “tools, not toys”, and that the time to use them is coming soon. He must bear them well. For the Christian, Lewis is exhorting us to ensure that we use the gifts and talents that God has given us for His glory. Our talents are not things to be played with and should not be used in a way to gratify or profit self. These talents and gifts are to be used by us in our journey up this mountain to Aslan’s country, and God Himself will receive the glory for our talents when we “bear them well.”

In A Horse and His Boy, Shasta is a young man who has had a difficult life and has been set on a very trying journey. On this journey, Shasta has run away from his abusive adoptive father, who has sold him to an evil Calormen soldier, been chased by lions, separated from his companions, left to sleep alone among dark tombs with the sound of jackals screaming in the night, crossed a terrible desert, watched his travel mate be slashed by a lion, and ran miles to complete his task of warning the King of Archenland of the approach of an invading army until exhaustion seemed sure to end his life. Because of his arduous circumstances, Shasta has decided he must be “the most unfortunate boy that ever lived in the whole world.” However, while traveling a winding mountain road in the pitch black of night, Shasta realizes that he is not alone. Aslan himself is walking beside Shasta. Aslan explains to Shasta that He Himself has been guiding Shasta’s path all along. He has caused good to come from each bad experience. Lewis teaches us through Shasta’s story that even when the journey seems to be at its most treacherous, even when we feel the most alone or most “unfortunate,” Christ is there ordering our steps. He is causing good to come from every struggle, every pain, and every injury.

In Prince Caspian, the four Pevensie children are called back into Narnia by the blowing of Susan’s horn. Things in Narnia have changed drastically since they left, and the children soon set out on a journey to help set things right. The creatures of Narnia have forgotten Aslan or simply do not believe anymore. The odds seem insurmountable, and Peter wants to rush ahead and end the journey as swiftly as possible. Lucy, on the other hand, advises that they wait for Aslan. Lucy sees Aslan and knows that Aslan is speaking to her. However, because of the doubts of the others, Lucy becomes distraught. Finally, Lucy obeys Aslan’s pull on her heart and finds him deep in the woods. When she speaks with Aslan, He gives her what seems an impossible task. When she grieves the task and doubts her own ability, she buries her face in Aslan’s mane: “There must have been magic in his mane.” As she feels the lion strength enter her, Lucy sits up quickly and accepts the task. Lewis shows us through this experience of Lucy that when we doubt and despair and feel as if the trek is too steep and treacherous, Christ is there to renew and replenish us. We only have to bury our face in His mane.

In the Silver Chair, Puddleglum and his companions have been trapped under the earth by the evil witch. She has used her magic on her captives to fog their minds and convince them that Narnia and Aslan are not real. They begin to succumb to the spell, but Puddleglum struggles against the witch’s deceit. He declares that he is “on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn’t any Narnia.” His determination of heart and mind clears his head and the heads of his comrades. Faith, according to Lewis, is trusting your head and not your emotions. We see this principle played out in Puddleglum’s perseverance; when we focus on truth and not emotion, our heads clear, and we are able to overcome the wiles of Satan.

Of all of the examples that Lewis gives us in his Narnia stories to encourage us on our personal journey of becoming a heavenly creature, perhaps the best model to follow would be the smallest character of all. Reepicheep the mouse is introduced to us in Prince Caspian. By the end of this book, readers are confident that of all of the noble kings, mighty warriors, and fierce animals fighting for Narnia, Reepicheep is the most courageous. He is valiant and loyal to the end. In The Voyage of the Dawntreader, we again follow the story of this courageous leader. However, even though we are still assured of Reepicheep’s valor, we see a different focus in this journey. Reepicheep tells of a calling that has been on his life since he was a baby; a calling to journey to the utter east and find Aslan’s country.

Throughout this voyage, no matter what trials or tragedy befalls the voyagers, Reepicheep is determined that he will not return with the others to Narnia. He expresses his fortitude toward this end by declaring:

“While I can, I sail east in the Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I paddle east in my coracle. When she sinks, I shall swim east with my four paws. And when I can swim no longer, if I have not reached Aslan's country, or shot over the edge of the world into some vast cataract, I shall sink with my nose to the sunrise.”

This is the prime example of focusing on the finish. This is determination to climb the mountain and not look back. Lewis gives the reader a fantastic view of a life lived with eternity as its focus. Lewis tells us in Mere Christianity to “aim at heaven, and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth, and you get neither.” In other words, when we have a focus on eternity, on the person we will be in Aslan’s country, we will begin living life as a heavenly being presently. We will climb the mountain toward Aslan’s country and persevere regardless of what comes our way. Our end game, like Reepicheep’s, will be to journey on toward Aslan’s country with fervency until we are face to face with Christ Himself. May we all be willing to sink with our noses to the sunrise!

In The Last Battle, the world of Narnia comes to an end. In this closing book of the Narnia series, the reader finally gets to experience Aslan’s country with the characters. It is described with beautiful imagery as a lush mountainous land where everything there “looked as if it meant more.” But Lewis writes more about how this “new Narnia” affects the characters than how it looks. Lewis uses Jewel, the unicorn, to sum up the feeling of this land: “I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now…” Home at last. And as the characters begin to traverse this new land, they make discoveries about how they, too are changed. This call to fully ascend the mountain of Aslan’s country had finally been realized. The new inhabitants of Aslan’s country did not meet difficulty on this journey. Realizing that they can run as fast as an eagle flies without ever getting hot or tired or out of breath, their charge becomes “further up and further in!” To their great surprise, they can even run up waterfalls! Lucy even notices that you cannot make yourself feel afraid in that country no matter how hard you try. And, of course, the joy of reuniting with loved ones, including Reepicheep, is a highlight of their experience.

Finally, Aslan greets them, welcoming them home: “The dream has ended: this is the morning.” Then, their real life begins. What an amazing view of what life will be like for us when we, too, reach Aslan’s country! No trials, no rocks to cause our stumbling, no wolves lurking about, no cold loneliness, no boundaries, no distractions, no fear— only freedom. Freedom to begin our stories that will go forever on and on with the one who has called us into Aslan’s country.

Through the stories of Narnia, students fall in love with Aslan and the beautiful imagery of Aslan’s country. Suddenly, Heaven itself does not seem so far away and unimaginable. Heaven, that time and place in which we are united with Christ and made completely perfect in Him, becomes the finish line that motivates every decision that students will make in this life. A creature who has an eternity-focused mind will be a creature who is not only becoming a little Christ but also a creature who is bringing Christ into the lives of others throughout his time on this earth. Thus, teaching our students to focus on the finish of our earthly journey gives our students the faculty and fortitude to face any trial or tribulation, no matter their calling. For the Christian educator, creating human beings that are becoming little Christs with an eternal mindset must be our ultimate goal. In this way, we will be running the race set before us and creating students with the mind of eternity who can make the most difference in our present world.

References:

Lewis, C.S. (1955). The Magician’s Nephew. Harper Collins.

Lewis, C.S. (1950). The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Harper Collins.

Lewis, C.S. (1954). The Horse and His Boy. Harper Collins.

Lewis, C.S. (1951). Prince Caspian. Harper Collins.

Lewis, C.S. (1952). The Voyage of the DawnTreader. Harper Collins.

Lewis, C.S. (1953). The Silver Chair. Harper Collins.

Lewis, C.S. (1956). The Last Battle. Harper Collins.

Lewis, C.S. (1952). Mere Christianity. Harper Collins.