Just watched The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Fantastic film. I first read CS Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia back when I was in the army, and it left an indelible imprint on my heart. It inspired my blog and was a great source of joy to me.

You know, people are going to evaluate the film from all sorts of angles. They're gonna talk about the animation and how good/bad it was. They're gonna talk about the story and how good/interesting/thought-provoking/weird/fake etc. etc. it was. Some are just going to talk about how nice and fun it was to watch. But as Christians, we know the central theme behind the story, we know the message it carries, the real story that it is trying to tell. CS Lewis' classic was founded and parodied on one story alone- the truth of the Gospel of Christ. Lest we get carried away by all the peripherals, let us remember this. The treason of Edmund runs in us all, and just as Aslan died for Edmund, it is for us that Christ died. But He rose again, victorious!

It may be a fantasy story, set in a magical world of talking animals and witches and strange creatures. But for me, there are few truer depictions of what is really going on in our world than Narnia. Behind the mundane, everyday world that we see when we wake up every morning, there is another world, the spiritual world where the forces of good and evil are constantly battling. A world where those we know as cleaners, postmen, teachers, students, housewives, lawyers, doctors, politicians and many others rally together under our Lord's banner as His soldiers to fight against the Enemy. Christ has already won the victory; we know how the story is going to end, with Satan and his minions destroyed for all eternity and Christ ruling a new heaven and earth. In the meantime, we live in what CS Lewis describes as "Enemy-occupied territory" and our Lord Jesus Christ calls us to take up arms as his soldiers, stand firm and fight. Our Lord is not just the kind loving Shepherd who holds us by the hand and leads us beside green pastures and still waters; our Lord is also the great and mighty Warrior who calls us to follow Him into battle. The One who has all authority in heaven and on earth. Have you found your place in His army yet?

There was once a soldier, in the service of a great King. This soldier had entered into the King's army full of enthusiasm and passion, ready to fight for his King's glory. Through the King's guidance, the soldier grew in wisdom, knowledge and love for his King. Soon the soldier began to fight battles for the King. Some he won, some he lost. As he grew in the King's strength, he began to win more and more battles. The soldier had many flaws, worst of them all pride, but the King still loved him dearly. The King would spent countless hours talking to and teaching the soldier, like He did with all the other soldiers in His army. And the soldier was extremely glad and joyful to be with the King, and in the King's army.

But one day something happened. One of the soldier's closest friends left him to go and explore the world outside the army. The soldier was deeply hurt and confused. He felt rejected and abandoned. That friend began to write to that soldier, telling him about how wonderful and fun the world outside the army was. The soldier's heart began to waver, his strength began to fail. A voice in his head began whispering to him- go and join your friend, go. So he did a foolish thing; he forsook his post in the army and left to look for his friend, in hope of also experiencing what his friend had and perhaps win that friend back. He thought if he could do the same things that his friend did, perhaps his friend would return to his side.

The soldier began to try out things in the world outside, and found that they indeed were fun and exciting. He began to chase after more things, more experiences. He found that he could be very good at some of the things that he did, winning the admiration of people around him. He travelled to distant lands that were remote and beautiful and brought back many wonderful memories. He took part in some of the most exhilarating games around and enjoyed them greatly. He ate lots of delicious food, stored a lot of treasures for himself. He began to grow wiser in the wisdom of the world. He was having a lot of fun; it came to a point that he regretted that he had spent so much time in the King's army, missing out on all the he was now experiencing. That voice in his head kept whispering to him, this is wonderful, this is where you belong, not in the army. Go and find more, go and find more!

But despite all this, his friend would not return to his side. He longed for the friend day and night; at times it drove him to tears and despair. And inside because of that, he was not happy. He wished dearly that the friend would return. Deep inside he still felt hurt and rejected. The voice in his head whispered, you're not good enough for your friend. You need to be better. So the soldier tried even harder. He would write to his friend at every opportunity; he would try to do all the things that the friend did. But the friend still did not return.

Then something happened that the soldier did not expect. He met a new friend, someone who cared deeply for him even though they had just met. They began to talk more and grew very close. The soldier felt deeply loved, and many of the wounds inside his heart began to heal. The soldier was very grateful for this new friend. He grew happier and happier by the day, and soon he was happier than he had ever been since leaving the King's army. The soldier and his friend would sit and talk for long hours; sometimes they would talk about the King. The soldier's friend was a follower of the King too; the soldier would sometimes sit and reminisce about his times in the King's army.

And so months passed by, and the soldier was very happy. But soon he began to realise that he was not completely happy; there was something missing. He thought to himself; he had experienced all the fun that the world had had to offer, and better still, he had found himself the best of friends, one whom he truly loved and one who loved him deeply in return. And yet there was still something missing in his heart. An emptiness that he could not explain. The voice in his head whispered, do not worry, its just a passing thing. Keep going on, you will find your full happiness one day.

Then one day he heard that the King's army had gone to fight some great battle. He rushed to the land where the battle was being fought, and watched from a distance. He watched as the King's army, full of courage and valour and led by the glorious King Himself, vanquished their foes. He watched as the King picked up and healed the wounded and the fallen. He watched as the King stood tall and commended his soldiers for their courage. He watched as the King walked among his men and embraced each and every one, thanking them for their willingness to fight.

And all of sudden, it dawned upon the soldier what he was missing in his life. All the fun and enjoyment that he had found outside of the army, he realised had amounted to nothing. They had left him empty inside, and yet never content, but always greedy for more. All his treasures too, amounted to nothing; on the outside they were beautiful, but on the inside they were empty, just like the soldier's heart. At that very moment, he realised where he belonged- he belonged at the side of His King. He belonged in the army; he belonged in the place where filled with passion and love for his King, he would fight all day for the King's glory. He realised that what he needed the most was not the love of another person, not even his best friend, but the love of the King Himself. The love that he once knew and cherished so deeply.

And the soldier wept. He wept for his own foolishness and weakness; he wept for the mistakes that he had made. He wept at his betrayal and abandonment of his King. He realised that the voice that had been speaking in his head all the while had been the voice of the Enemy of the King. And the soldier was filled with anger at the Enemy, for deceiving him and leading him astray.

The soldier knew what he needed to do. Slowly, timidly, with his head down, he approached the King. He fell to his knees. "My Lord and my King", he asked, "Can I be part of your army again? Can I be with you again? I am so sorry that I left in the first place. I know I do not deserve your forgiveness and your love. But I am just asking for a second chance."

The King knelt down in front of the soldier. Gently the King lifted the soldier's head with his two hands, and their eyes met. The soldier did not see eyes full of anger, eyes full of disappointment, but eyes filled with tears- tears of joy. The King was smiling- no, He was beaming- with delight. "My dear child, I have been waiting for this moment for so long. I knew you would return." The soldier burst into tears of joy. They embraced dearly, for what seemed like eternity. And all around there were shouts and rejoicing for this lost soldier that had come home.

Finally the King spoke again, "My dear child, of course you can enter into my army again. But you know that the training will always be tough and you will need a great deal of discipline. Are you willing to commit to that again?" The soldier replied, "Yes my Lord, I am. I know that it will be tough, tougher than anything that I have experienced. But I have seen the world out there, and I know all that it has to offer. And I know there is no place else that I would rather be than right here, with You." The King smiled, "Do not fear, my child. Though the way be tough and long, know that I am always here with you, and my strength will be sufficient for you. Though you are weak, through my strength you will be strong. And that is not all. I will walk and talk with you again, we will enjoy sweet fellowship again, just you and i, just like we used to."

The soldier could not contain his joy. He knew now that his joy was complete. He knew now that his life would never be the same again. He rushed to find his best friend, and told his friend all about what had happened. His best friend was overjoyed for him. The soldier asked his best friend if he would follow him and support him in his newfound life, and his best friend agreed. And so the two returned to the King.

So here ends the story of the soldier- for now. The rest remains to be written.