Tag Archives: The Lion

Advent, Devotional

The Dawn of Redeeming Light

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Read John 1:1-14

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine” (Isaiah 9:2 NLT).

Image created by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of AI developed by Microsoft.

As someone who has always cherished both books and movies, I find immense joy when the two mediums come together in a meaningful and visually stunning way. My love for C.S. Lewis and his works, especially The Chronicles of Narnia, is profound. Lewis, along with his friend J.R.R. Tolkien, whose The Lord of the Rings series is another favorite of mine, has a unique way of weaving deep, spiritual truths into the fabric of fantasy. These stories are not just tales of adventure; they are rich with allegory and meaning that resonate with the themes of our faith.

In “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” Lewis introduces us to the magical world of Narnia through the eyes of four siblings: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. They discover this enchanted realm through a wardrobe in an old country house. Narnia, once a land of talking animals and mythical creatures, is trapped in an eternal winter under the tyrannical rule of the White Witch. The arrival of the children sets in motion a prophecy that signals the end of the Witch’s reign.

The theme of light overcoming darkness is central to both the Bible and this Narnian tale. In John 1:1-14, we see the profound declaration that Jesus is the Word, the Light of the world. This passage begins with the cosmic scope of creation, emphasizing that Jesus, the Word, was with God and was God from the very beginning. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

In Narnia, this light is personified by Aslan, the great lion and true king of Narnia. Aslan’s return brings hope to the oppressed Narnians, just as the coming of Christ brings hope to a world in darkness. The gradual thawing of Narnia’s winter as Aslan approaches mirrors the spiritual awakening that occurs when we encounter Christ in our lives.

One of the most powerful parallels occurs when Aslan sacrifices himself to save Edmund, who had betrayed his siblings to the White Witch. This selfless act reflects Christ’s sacrifice for humanity, paying the price for our sins. Just as Aslan rises again, breaking the “deep magic” that governs Narnia, Jesus’ resurrection conquers death and sin, offering us new life.

Isaiah 9:2 beautifully complements this theme, prophesying the coming of a great light to those living in darkness. This prophecy finds its fulfillment in Jesus, whose birth we celebrate during Advent. The imagery of light breaking through the darkness symbolizes hope and salvation, themes that are central to both the Advent season and Lewis’s beloved story.

Reflecting on these themes, we see that the light of Christ is not just a distant glow but a powerful force that changes everything it touches. John 1:14 states, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”. This verse encapsulates the miracle of Christmas: God becoming human to live among us, bringing light and life to all.

In our own lives, we often face seasons of darkness, times when hope seems distant, and the cold grip of despair feels unrelenting. Yet, the message of Advent, echoed in the story of Narnia, is that the light has come and continues to shine. Just as the arrival of Aslan brings spring to Narnia, melting away the long winter, Christ’s presence in our lives can thaw the coldest hearts and bring new life where there was once only darkness. Friends, behold! The King has come and the cold winter of sin and death is no more. Step into the light and feel Christ’s warm embrace.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Christ’s light has the power to transform our darkest seasons into periods of growth and renewal. Embrace God’s light and let it guide you towards hope.

PRAYER
Lord, may your light shine in our hearts, melting away our fears and doubts, and bringing the warmth of your love. Amen.

Devotion written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of Perplexity AI.

Devotional, Previous Post

REVISITED: The Lion

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Read Daniel 6

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10 NRSV)

We live in a culture that strives for safety. We want our churches to be safe, we develop safe zones for our students at universities, we eliminate any lunchtime activities that might not be safe, and we go out of our way to associate with people and places that share our worldview so that our worldviews are safe. We avoid talking about religion and politics at the dinner table, or anywhere else for that matter, to keep safe from opposing viewpoints. We are a culture that is mired in the desire for safety.

In fact, the need for safety has grown since September 11, 2001. The more unsafe we feel, the more we seek to FEEL SAFE; that is a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle because the more we strive to feel safe, the less safe we actually feel. If that is not the case, then it is surely the case that the more we strive to feel safe, the more the world reminds that we are not, which causes us to strive to feel more safe. Regardless, “saftey is a virtue” for many people.

The need for safety carries out beyond just what was mentioned above. It crosses over into our faith journeys as well. In churches, we avoid preaching about controversial topics in order to keep people feeling safe. We avoid having discussions around social issues so that no one is offended and everyone feels safe. Sometimes we avoid even talking about Jesus Christ because that might be too “threatening” to some or, if we do talk about Jesus, we dilute what we say so that people feel safe.

Now, you might be asking the following question: what is wrong with feeling safe? Shouldn’t we aspire to keep people safe? Shouldn’t we strive to give people a sense of security? Should we be striving to create sanctuary in our churches, and aren’t sanctuaries “safe” by definition? My response is following, are we truly creating a “sanctuary” when we create a false illusion of “safety”? I think not. If all we are doing is pulling a ruse, a wool blanket, over people’s eyes, then we are not creating a sanctuary at all. What’s more, where in Scripture is safety defined as a moral goal or a virtue?

Was Abraham safe when left home on a hunch he should follow a God that could not be seen? Was J0seph safe when he prophetically told his brothers what their future was according to a dream God had given him? How about Jonah? Where did playing it “safe” land him? How about Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Esther, Ruth, David, Micah, Zecheriah, Nehemiah, Jesus, or the Apostles? Where do you see God calling them to remain safe?

One of my favorite stories, one I can relate to, is the story of Daniel. When Darius the King put out a decree that no foreigner was permitted to pray to their God so that they could show their loyalty to the king, did Daniel choose to play it safe? No, he prayed anyway and when he was caught he was thrown into a lion’s den to be eaten alive. I think it is “safe” (pun intended) to assume that there was nothing SAFE about that situation!

Yet, Daniel was not seeking a fasle sense of security or a false sense of safety, because Daniel’s faith led him to a place where he was TRULY SECURE. Daniel’s faith led him to dwell in God, who was present with him. Despite the deadly circumstance he found himself in, he was more secure than anyone of those who complied with the king’s orders, and GOD DID NOT FAIL HIM.

Our faith calls us to face lions because the one whom we have faith in IS THE LION OF LIONS! Our God does not promise us safety, but in God we have security! Every day, as a pastor, is another day that I am called to step out in faith and risk facing the lions waiting to consume me. Somedays, it feels as if those lions have taken their fair share of fatal chomps; yet, here I stand. I am still a pastor and I am still taking my daily steps of faith in service of the ONE TRUE LION! This is not just the call of a pastor, but the call of the church! This is the call of all who call themselves Christian and who make up the body of Christ. I pray that you choose to give up safety for the true security of faith!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.” – Tacitus

PRAYER
Lord, help me to let go of my need to be safe and seek security through my faith in you. Amen.

Devotional

The Lion

Leave a comment

Read Daniel 6

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10 NRSV)

We live in a culture that strives for safety. We want our churches to be safe, we develop safe zones for our students at universities, we eliminate any lunchtime activities that might not be safe, and we go out of our way to associate with people and places that share our worldview so that our worldviews are safe. We avoid talking about religion and politics at the dinner table, or anywhere else for that matter, to keep safe from opposing viewpoints. We are a culture that is mired in the desire for safety.

In fact, the need for safety has grown since September 11, 2001. The more unsafe we feel, the more we seek to FEEL SAFE; that is a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle because the more we strive to feel safe, the less safe we actually feel. If that is not the case, then it is surely the case that the more we strive to feel safe, the more the world reminds that we are not, which causes us to strive to feel more safe. Regardless, “saftey is a virtue” for many people.

The need for safety carries out beyond just what was mentioned above. It crosses over into our faith journeys as well. In churches, we avoid preaching about controversial topics in order to keep people feeling safe. We avoid having discussions around social issues so that no one is offended and everyone feels safe. Sometimes we avoid even talking about Jesus Christ because that might be too “threatening” to some or, if we do talk about Jesus, we dilute what we say so that people feel safe.

Now, you might be asking the following question: what is wrong with feeling safe? Shouldn’t we aspire to keep people safe? Shouldn’t we strive to give people a sense of security? Should we be striving to create sanctuary in our churches, and aren’t sanctuaries “safe” by definition? My response is following, are we truly creating a “sanctuary” when we create a false illusion of “safety”? I think not. If all we are doing is pulling a ruse, a wool blanket, over people’s eyes, then we are not creating a sanctuary at all. What’s more, where in Scripture is safety defined as a moral goal or a virtue?

Was Abraham safe when left home on a hunch he should follow a God that could not be seen? Was J0seph safe when he prophetically told his brothers what their future was according to a dream God had given him? How about Jonah? Where did playing it “safe” land him? How about Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Esther, Ruth, David, Micah, Zecheriah, Nehemiah, Jesus, or the Apostles? Where do you see God calling them to remain safe?

One of my favorite stories, one I can relate to, is the story of Daniel. When Darius the King put out a decree that no foreigner was permitted to pray to their God so that they could show their loyalty to the king, did Daniel choose to play it safe? No, he prayed anyway and when he was caught he was thrown into a lion’s den to be eaten alive. I think it is “safe” (pun intended) to assume that there was nothing SAFE about that situation!

Yet, Daniel was not seeking a fasle sense of security or a false sense of safety, because Daniel’s faith led him to a place where he was TRULY SECURE. Daniel’s faith led him to dwell in God, who was present with him. Despite the deadly circumstance he found himself in, he was more secure than anyone of those who complied with the king’s orders, and GOD DID NOT FAIL HIM.

Our faith calls us to face lions because the one whom we have faith in IS THE LION OF LIONS! Our God does not promise us safety, but in God we have security! Every day, as a pastor, is another day that I am called to step out in faith and risk facing the lions waiting to consume me. Somedays, it feels as if those lions have taken their fair share of fatal chomps; yet, here I stand. I am still a pastor and I am still taking my daily steps of faith in service of the ONE TRUE LION! This is not just the call of a pastor, but the call of the church! This is the call of all who call themselves Christian and who make up the body of Christ. I pray that you choose to give up safety for the true security of faith!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.” – Tacitus

PRAYER
Lord, help me to let go of my need to be safe and seek security through my faith in you. Amen.