Why we'll always need Narnia

I think that all of us, at some point, have had a story touch our hearts so deeply that our lives were never the same again. There are many such great stories that have touched my life. But nothing has ever touched my heart more deeply than Narnia. And no matter hold old I get, or how much time passes, I'll always need and love Narnia. We all will.

In a world where Jesus feels untouchable, Aslan is a character who calls to us. Like the Pevensie children, when we hear his name we are moved beyond understanding. So long as our hearts are open. And even when Edmund's was closed, Aslan didn't give up on him. Jesus doesn't give up on us either.

Aslan speaks to us in the deepest reaches of our hearts. He reminds us that we matter. He reminds us that he's there for us. Even when things are hard, Aslan supports and guides the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve. He brings them hope. He gives them strength. He believes in them. He loves them. He forgives them.

Look at our world. Look at the pain and suffering. Narnia gives us hope that things may never be perfect, but God guides and supports us as we go through them. Narnia is a reminder that God does care. And I know it doesn't always seem like it. I've experienced that, and felt that. I'm human, too. But God got me through it. He'll get you through it, too. Whatever it is.

Each and every one of us need Narnia. We need to hear Christ's message of a love in a way that's understandable and approachable. We need to believe in the beauty and hope that is waiting for us if we just have the perseverance to get there. We need to know that this world was made to be good, but it isn't all there is. There's so much more--further up and further in. There's more than we could ever dream of, more than we could hope for.

C.S. Lewis used to be an atheist. But somewhere along the way, he experienced God. And then he wrote Narnia, sharing that experience with us. Within Narnia is everything we've ever dreamed--adventure, friendship, hope, love, and a Great Lion who loves us more than we could ever imagine, whether we know him by the name Aslan in Narnia, or another name here.