Book Review- The Silver Chair

I recently listened to a podcast that referenced the Silver Chair, book 4 in the Chronicles of Narnia series.   After the podcast, I was inspired to read the book again.

In the Silver Chair, Jill and Eustace are sent to Narnia on an urgent quest to find the lost prince of Narnia who has been missing for 10 years.  He disappeared after falling captive to a strange entrancement while seeking vengeance for his mother's death.  Narnia had sent many valiant men to find and rescue him. But none prevailed.   Until the two children arrived on the wind to Narnia and take up the quest once more.

The Silver chair reminds us that just as Jill and Eustace must remember the signs while they seek the lost prince, so we must remember God's promises.   And just like the signs do not always make sense at the time, God's plans are not always clear while they are unfolding.

My favorite part of the story is the end.  The allegory of Aslan and the thorn and the arrival of King Caspian to his country is an incredible picture.

Overall ratings below:

Story- 8
Beauty- 8  (Though the ending is a 10)
Bookshelf worthy- 10

In Search of Truth

Is truth what we see with our eyes?

What we hear with our ears?
How do we know what is true?

Is truth what we believe?
What we perceive?
What life has taught us?

Is truth on the Internet?
In the nightly news?
Can we trust anything we intake?

Is there a deep truth that supersedes all?
Truth that gives oxygen
Truth that keeps the planet spinning

Truth that will one day illuminate all
Truth that is the foundation of all
For there must be truth.

Even amid the chaos and lies
Especially amid the chaos and lies
Truth remains. 

May we have the wisdom to seek it with all our hearts.

By Kristen Harmon

Photo Credit to Michael Browning

The one thing we must NOT do

America is facing the most controversial presidential election I have ever seen or studied.   Many people have chosen a candidate based on a few key issues and a strong dislike for the other one.

But this is where we must be so careful.

Christians who have a public following on social media are speaking out for one side or another.

The danger in this is the conversations that can follow.

The other night I read a comment that actually declared this bold opinion: if you vote for the candidate I oppose, you must serve a different Jesus.

No.  No.  NO.

No matter how horrible and frustrating and deplorable this election season is, let us not for one moment assume that how a person votes in this election has a correlation with their eternal salvation.

Remember these verses.

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is the Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved...As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and gentile-- the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." " Romans 10:9,11-13

"The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”  Acts 16-29-31

There is only one election that has eternal consequences.   

It is not for President of the United States. It is for the Ruler of our hearts.   And there are two contenders.  No third party options.

The choice we must make is this.  Do we believe in and honor God? 

Or do we side with his enemy?

Let us never confuse this decision with less weighty matters.

Safe in the Storm

This blog post comes to you from the middle of a hurricane.

It's been 12 years since Central Florida was impacted by an actual hurricane.   Since then, there have been potential threats, cones of uncertainty, tropical storms, and excited weather forecasters.  But no real impact.

Until yesterday.

By 6 pm yesterday evening we were asked to be off the roads, to be secured in the place where we planned to stay for the next 36 hours.

With whatever provisions we had prepared.

Earlier this week was the time to get bread and gas and water.

But earlier this week, the signs weren't as obvious.  We weren't quite sure the hurricane would actually come.

Therefore, I ordered the camping stove and emergency radio on Amazon Prime too late to get it before the storm came. (Apparently 2 day shipping is actually paused in the midst of a hurricane.)

As the warning signs predicted, Hurricane Matthew showed up in Central Florida. Bringing with him a tremendous amount of rain and wind.

I'm grateful to be safely inside my home with a bathtub full of water and extra phone chargers, just in case.

Ignoring the signs of a hurricane could result in inconvenience, injury, or possibly even death for those directly in its path.

But there are other signs we should monitor with even greater concern.   This week I thought of a parable that I had not considered for a long time.   It is found in Matthew 25.

In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a a group of young women waiting for the bridegroom.  Some prepared.  Some did not.   The bridegroom took so long, that they all fell asleep while waiting for him.  But then the cry finally came.  "Here's the bridegoom!  Come out to meet him!"

Those who had extra oil could light their lamps again.  But those who did not have extra oil could not and ultimately missed the wedding feast.

What is this oil? We are given insight into its symbolism in the bridegroom's sad response to those who were missing it.  "Truly I tell you, I don't know you."

The story concludes with this sober advice:  "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

Just like Christmas always comes, even though at times it seems so far.  Like Spring triumphs over winter.  And like hurricanes do not always cry wolf.  

One day the King will come.

And then we will each remain in the kingdom we have chosen.

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."  Deuteronomy 30:19.

May we each choose life.

How do you find truth?

I've reached a point in the political disaster that is this election season where I'm done.  I'm not watching the debate.  I rarely click on FB links or read the emotionally charged news articles that pop up in my feed.

I'm frustrated with the whole thing.  And with that frustration comes doubt and distrust.  I'm skeptical of almost anything circulating about the election today.   How do I know if it is true?

Technically it may be true.  But the message could be a complete lie.

For example, what if I gave this statement to a reporter: "I hate getting up for work in the mornings, but I'm so grateful for my job."   

The reporter could choose to only broadcast the first part. "I hate getting up for work in the mornings."

"What an ungrateful person", the commenters could then say.  "Kristen has a great job.  How could she complain like that."

The statement broadcast about me would be only partially true, this rendering it actually false.

How then do we find truth?   

I don't have a political answer.  But the apostle John has a lot to say on this topic.     Biblegateway.com tells me that John mentions the word 'truth' 23 times in his gospel and 19 times in his letters.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke mention the word 'truth' only 4 times combined in their gospels.

In his second letter, John says that the truth "lives in us and will be with us forever."

In John 16:13 he tells us that when the Spirit of truth comes, "He will guide you into all truth...He will tell you what is to come."

Like so many good things in life, the answer is not always quick or easy.  In order to find truth we must learn to listen for its voice.

But what a voice worth finding.

Photo Credit Aaron Burden