Trust and Obey

“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.” 1 Peter 5:7-9

In his book, The Silver Chair, C.S. Lewis has the God figure, Aslan, give Jill the signs to follow while she is on her quest to save Prince Rilian. “But, first, remember, remember, remember the signs. Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night, and when you wake in the middle of the night. And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your mind from following the signs. And secondly, I give you a warning. Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly: I will not often do so down in Narnia. Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters.”

Jill has been given instructions on how to survive her journey down in Narnia. We too have been given instructions to follow. God has given us commandments to help us fear and love God and our neighbor. When we follow these instructions our faith grows stronger. Aslan is telling Jill to trust and obey him. Narnia is going to confuse her mind. The world does the same to our minds. We are clouded with temptations, which steer us away from God and His instructions. It makes it difficult to trust and obey Him, which is why we need to remember what He has told us. Jill eventually stopped reminding herself of what Aslan told her. When she found herself in a desperate situation, she was able to find her trust again in Him. Let’s not wait until we are trapped in a situation and cannot find our way out; but rather let’s continuously remind ourselves daily of God’s instructions. We need to stay alert because the devil is searching for us; hoping to cloud our minds. Let us cast our anxieties on God because He cares for us, and He wants us to trust and obey Him.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your instructions, which guide us and keep us close to You. Please help us to remember what You have commanded us to do. May we love You with our whole hearts, and love our neighbors as ourselves. Amen