He likes to be asked.
Dave and I have started to read The Chronicles of Narnia to the girls. It's been years since I have picked up these books and after just the first one I am reminded how much I love them. I love how Aslan is portrayed and what a wonderful picture C.S. Lewis paints for us of who God is like. I read the following portion to Mckenna yesterday and it was a sweet reminder to me of how the Lord loves to hear our prayers:
"The valley in which they had come down was in the heart of the mountains; snowy heights, one of them looking rose-red in the reflections of the sunset, towered above them.
'I am hungry,' said Digory.
'Well, tuck in,' said Fledge, taking a big mouthful of grass. Then he raised his head, still chewing and with the bits of grass sticking out on each side of his mouth like whiskers, and said, 'Come on, you two. Don't be shy. There's plenty for us all.'
'But we can't eat grass,' said Digory.
'H'm, h'm,' said Fledge, speaking with his mouth full. 'Well--h'm--don't know quite what you'll do then. Very good grass too.'
Polly and Digory stared at one another in dismay.
'Well, I do think someone might have arranged about our meals,' said Digory.
'I'm sure Aslan would have, if you'd asked him,' said Fledge.
'Wouldn't he know without being asked?' said Polly.
'I've no doubt he would,' said the Horse (still with his mouth full). 'But I've a sort of idea he likes to be asked.' "
From The Magician's Nephew, C.S. Lewis
Isn't that good?!! That brief quote has been an encouragement to my soul today to bring all our needs to the throne of grace.
Yes! So good, Heather! Thanks for taking the time to type this out.
I love these books so much. I read a compilation of correspondence b/t Lewis and children, and this is one story in the collection:
"...[Nine]-year-old Laurence, an eager fan of The Chronicles of Narnia, confided to his mother that he was afraid that he loved Aslan the lion (the Christ figure in the series) more than he loved Jesus. Did that make him an idol worshipper? [She] promptly wrote in care of the publisher and told Lewis of her son’s confusion. So concerned was the author when he learned of Laurence's distress that the Kriegs had an answer in just 10 days.
'Tell Laurence from me, with my love,” Lewis wrote in a detailed letter, ' … [He] can't really love Aslan more than Jesus, even if he feels that's what he is doing. For the things he loves Aslan for doing or saying are simply the things Jesus really did and said. So that when Laurence thinks he is loving Aslan, he is really loving Jesus: and perhaps loving Him more than he ever did before. … I don’t think he need be bothered at all. God knows all about the way a little boy’s imagination works (He made it, after all) … .'
Before closing, Lewis asked if the boy would pray for him: 'It would be kind and Christian-like if [Laurence] then added [to his prayer], "And if Mr. Lewis has worried any other children by his books or done them any harm, then please forgive him and help him never to do it again.” ' "