The One Who Has Waited Long for Us to Speak

You may recall me mentioning that I am reading the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. I’ve just finished the fifth book, The Horse and His Boy, and it is a rollicking adventure with talking horses and young heroes who are all seeking to find freedom in Narnia.

As in any adventure, their journey was not easy. It was fraught with perils and challenges, which forced the main character, Shasta, to do hard and difficult tasks. At a pivotal point in the story, Shasta found himself on his own as he made his way through the night to warn the king of an impending invasion. As he rode through the darkness, he decided that he “must be the most unfortunate boy that ever lived in the whole world.” Shasta was convinced that everyone else had it so much easier than he did, and the longer he rode, the sorrier he felt for himself.

Darkness, indeed, has a way of making problems loom so much larger than they are in the light of day, and as tears rolled down his face, Shasta suddenly realized that he was not alone on the trail. There was someone or something walking beside him, but it was so dark he couldn’t make out who it was. Self-pity quickly turned into fear and his imagination ran wild. What was it!

When he could stand it no longer, he finally whispered, “Who are you?”

From out the darkness, Shasta heard a voice reply, “One who has waited long for you to speak.”

And once again we see the genius of C.S. Lewis. Aslan the Lion was walking with Shasta. Aslan, who Lewis used throughout the series as a Christ-like figure, had been waiting for Shasta to speak to him.

What an incredible picture this is of Christ! He is always present. He is always watching over us, but sadly, unlike Shasta, too many of us can be blind to his presence because we never looked outside ourselves to sense that he is there.  

As the Holy Spirit has done before, while reading this book, I happened across Hebrews 11:27. In this verse, the writer was referring to Moses when he said: “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who was invisible.” Was this Lewis’ inspiration for Shasta’s encounter with Aslan, because here we are told that Moses saw what was invisible. On the backside of nowhere, out tending sheep, Moses had an encounter with the living God.

We know that God spoke to Moses from a burning bush (Exodus 3:2), and I have to admit that the thought of God being in a bush has always fascinated me. Why would the God of the universe appear in something so common? I did a little digging on this, and Warren Wiersbe pointed out in his commentary that God can take something insignificant like a bush, ignite it, and turn it into a miracle. He said the burning bush was a picture of what God had planned for Moses. He would change Moses from a shepherd to a prophet, and he would use him to lead his people out of slavery to the land he had promised to Abraham, Issac and Jacob.

But Moses had to not only see, but also listen and believe, which is not always easy when you see yourself as little more than insignificant scrub brush in the middle of nowhere.  Yes, even Moses struggled with fear. When he heard the voice of the Lord, instead saying, “Yes Lord, send me. I am your servant!” he argued with God and tried to duck out of his calling. He had his excuses ready too: He told God he was a nobody; he had no idea what God’s name was; no way anyone would believe him; and to top it off, he wasn’t very eloquent in his speech (Exodus 3:11,14; 4:1,10)

Excuses, excuses, excuses, but God wasn’t letting him off the hook even when Moses pleaded, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” (Exodus 4:13)

Friends, the lesson for us is plain: God knows us better than we know ourselves, so we must trust and obey what he tells us to do. Think about it this way; when we tell God our weaknesses, we aren’t telling him anything he doesn’t already know about us. He knows every flaw we have, but he also knows the plans he has for us (Jeremiah 29:11). Therefore, we must believe that he will equip us for what he has called us to do. We must believe how special we are to God.

Lewis explored this theme as well in his book. As they walked together in the darkness, Aslan invited Shasta to tell him his sorrows and explain to him why he was so unfortunate. Shasta took him up on the offer and poured out his heart. He told Aslan how lions had chased them. He then spoke of all the hardships he had faced on the journey, and he even told him how very hungry he was.

After listening to his story, Aslan surprised Shasta by telling him that he was not at all unfortunate. No, he was actually the most fortunate boy, because he, Aslan, had been the lion who had protected him not only this journey, but also his entire life. Shasta could trust him, and the same is true for us. When we are persecuted by men, we are never abandoned by God. The martyrs of the faith bear witness to this truth, as do so many of us, because we know that during the worst of times are also the times when we have been closest to Jesus.

I read that after being abandoned by those who should have stood with her, Joan of Arc said, “It is better to be alone with God. His friendship will not fail me, nor his counsel, not his love. In his strength, I will dare and dare and dare until I die.

We can dare because nothing can alter the loyalty of our God, and Moses came to see this. He listened to God and we are told, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” (Exodus 33:11) God even allowed Moses to behold his glory when he put him in the cleft of the rock (Exodus 33:22,23), and Deuteronomy 34:10 concludes that “no prophet has arisen again in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.”

Moses saw God in the burning bush and he believed.

Lewis wrote that Shasta saw Aslan in the morning light and he too believed.

But what about you?

Is God still waiting long for you to speak to him? If so, don’t delay any longer. Jesus tells us: ‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

Friends, “Do not refuse him who speaks.” (Hebrews 12:25)

For the glory of God our Father!  Lisa

Discussion Questions

Like Shasta, do you find it easy to think that you are the most unfortunate person in the world? If so, what are things you can do to break this pattern?

God appeared to Moses is a common bush. What are common ways that God appears today?

Has there been a time when, like Moses, you gave God excuses on why you couldn’t serve him? What was God’s response?