[Please join me in praying for our nation and world on Tuesdays this year.]
“The power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.” (Psalm 37:17 NIV)
“Oh, yes! Tell us about Aslan!” said several voices at once; for once again that strange feeling—like the first signs of spring, like good news, had come over them.
“Who is Aslan?” asked Susan.“
Aslan?” said Mr. Beaver. “Why, don’t you know? He’s the King. He’s the Lord of the whole wood, but not often here, you understand. Never in my time or my father’s time. But the word has reached us that he has come back. He is in Narnia at this moment. He’ll settle the White Queen all right. It is he, not you, that will save Mr. Tumnus.”
“She won’t turn him into stone too?” said Edmund.
“Lord love you, Son of Adam, what a simple thing to say!” answered Mr. Beaver with a great laugh. “Turn him into stone? If she can stand on her two feet and look him in the face it’ll be the most she can do and more than I expect of her. No, no. He’ll put all to rights as it says in an old rhyme in these parts:
Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,
At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,
When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,
And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.*
I loved the Chronicles of Narnia stories when I was growing up and have enjoyed reading them with my kids. Recently, I have found myself wishing Aslan would just come in and “fix” everything that is wrong with this world.
I believe the true “Aslan” – God – will set the world right. This is how the Psalmist wrote it:
Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.
12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.
18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,
and their inheritance will endure forever.
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20 But the wicked will perish:
Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke. (Psalm 37:1-20 NIV)
God,
Thank you that you are the ruler of this world and you are never surprised by the wickedness, evil, and cruelty in our world. Thank you that your promises and plans are true and you are protecting those who hide in the shadow of your wings. Thank you that those who are evil will receive their judgement, even as you will protect those who are righteous. Help us who call you Lord to not fret in light of all the evil in the world, but to trust in you, do good, dwell in our lands and enjoy the safety you offer us. Remind us to delight in you because you want to give us the desires of our hearts. Remind us to commit our lives to you so that you can bless us. Remind us to be still and patient before you, not fretting when it seems wicked people are succeeding. But we pray you will destroy evil and the wicked in this day and this hour. Laugh at their wickedness, Omnipotent God, and may their swords pierce their own hearts. We know the promise that the power of the wicked will be broken is true. And we hold on to the promise that you uphold your children, those who are under your care, and in the days of disaster and famine we will have all we need. Consume your enemies like a forest fire, but hold your chosen ones in the palms of your hands and give them – give us – deep shalom. Cause those who hope in you – the meek and the peaceful to inherit the land. In the strong name of Christ we pray, Amen.
*From The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Compiled in A Year with AslanThe Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Copyright © 1950 by C. S. Lewis Pte., Ltd. Copyright renewed © 1978 by C. S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved.
[Originally published February 15, 2022]