We love great stories. We love audio drama. Not familiar with audio dramas?
I’m not surprised. Not many people are.
Audio Dramas have been described in many different ways. Movies for the ears is probably one of the best descriptions. Check these guys out for more info about audio dramas. They are the best. Audio Theatre Central
At the Rod home there is rarely a day without an audio drama echoing off the walls somewhere in our child packed house. Adventures in Odyssey is usually the show of choice. Though we have been known to listen to The Jake Muller Adventures, Lamplighter Theatre, old time radio, and one of our favs, Focus on the Family’s Radio Theatre.
Focus did an incredible job producing what I would consider the best of available audio dramas.
Of them all we listen to The Chronicles of Narnia the most. So gooood. C.S. Lewis classics are unmatched, in my opinion.
Most recently while listening to “The Horse and His Boy” on the way to church in our 15 passenger van, I was reminded of what is probably my most favorite scene in all of the Narnia stories.
Shasta, the protagonist of the story, after a long exhausting journey, has lost his friends, his direction, and his hope.
He begins to bemoan his life, his bad luck, and overall unfortunate existence.
It is quite pitiful, actually. Shasta is never portrayed as a very strong individual, quite the opposite. Although he does rise to the occasion when duty calls.
He doesn’t realize who he really is for most of the story, although we can see it dimly from our POV.
Anyhow, poor Shasta is really swimming in a pool of his own tears when he is visited by what he thinks to be a ghost or a ghoul.
It is neither, but of course, the Great Lion…Aslan, himself.
Over the course of the story, Shasta had run ins with several felines. Ranging from small cat with a bad attitude to a couple of fierce over sized terrifying lions.
It is here that I am just going to steal from Lewis’ prose and use the old copy and paste because their interaction is so good.
I am often overcome with emotion when I hear this scene. On this occasion, I could see Vikki glancing over at me, noticing my brimming eyes.
(If you haven’t read the book or heard the audio drama, you may not fully grasp the significance of it, but have a go at it anyway. Remember Shasta is thinking about how terrible his life is when he is approached by Aslan.)
“Who are you?” he said, barely above a whisper. “One who has waited long for you to speak,” said the Thing. Its voice was not loud, but very large and deep. “Are you – are you a giant?” asked Shasta. “You might call me a giant,” said the Large Voice. “But I am not like the creatures you call giants.” “I can’t see you at all,” said Shasta, after staring very hard. Then (for an even more terrible idea had come into his head) he said, almost in a scream, “You’re not – not something dead, are you? Oh please – please do go away. What harm have I ever done you? Oh, I am the unluckiest person in the whole world.” Once more he felt the warm breath of the Thing on his hand and face. “There,” it said, “that is not the breath of a ghost. Tell me your sorrows.” Shasta was a little reassured by the breath: so he told how he had never known his real father or mother and had been brought up sternly by the fisherman. and then he told the story of his escape and how they were chased by lions and forced to swim for their lives; and of all their dangers in Tashbaan and about his night among the Tombs and how the beasts howled at him out of the desert. And he told about the heat and thirst of their desert journey and how they were almost at their goal when another lion chased them and wounded Aravis. And also, how very long it was since he had anything to eat. “I do not call you unfortunate,” said the Large Voice. “Don’t you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?” said Shasta. “There was only one lion.” said the Voice. “What on earth do you mean? I’ve just told you there were at least two lions the first night, and -” “There was only one, but he was swift of foot.” “How do you know?” “I was the lion.” And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued. “I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you as you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you.” ... “Who are you?” asked Shasta. “Myself,” said the Voice, very deep and low so that the earth shook: and again “Myself,” loud and clear and gay: and then the third time “Myself,” whispered so softly you could hardly hear it, and yet it seemed to come from all around you as if the leaves rustled with it.
WOW!!
The entire journey, pretty much his entire life, Aslan was the one popping in here and there. Just at the right time, with just what he needed, exactly when he needed it.
Strength when necessary, comfort when fearful, a push of encouragement when down, and at the very beginning, the One who set it all in motion with a gentle nudge of a glorious yet terrifying brow.
When asked who He is, He simply replies…”Myself.”
Such a beautiful allegory. What finely crafted prose. Lewis was a master no doubt.
But it is so much more than great writing. What an incredible depiction of the One who, in this life, refers to Himself as the “I AM”.
My Savior, Jesus Christ.
It is so true. I can look back at my 42 years of life. The struggle, the disappointment, the pain, the triumph, the victories. I can look at it all and see the hand of the loving Savior that has prodded, nudged, and at times, shoved me down this path of life.
Do I understand every bump and curve in the road? Absolutely not. Do I deserve the mountain top victories and the restful times of plenty? Not a chance.
But, this I do know. Much like Shasta, there has been One who has guided me along this wonderful path called life.
He goes before me. He stands beside me. He cheers me on when I am down. He carries me when I am exhausted. He may sometimes be just beyond my sight hidden in the dancing shadows around me, but I know He is there. And I know He will always be there.
I was the Lion, Shasta.