Time for a Thaw

Snow is one of my favorite things to experience. A snowstorm blitzed through in early January, a weather anomaly for our area. It started as gentle snowflakes drifting gracefully and became large clusters of snow speedily swirling down. 

We grabbed our cold weather gear and headed to the empty field across from our house. We spent hours outside that day. Building a snowman, making snow angels, and just sitting in the snow. Sitting in silence reveling in the beauty of this rare occurrence.

As I sat there, I thought of Edmund, a character from C.S. Lewis’s novel, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Edmund walked through the snowy forest of Narnia having discovered it by secretly following his sister, Lucy, into the wardrobe that led to Narnia. When he was feeling tired, cold, hungry, and uncertain, a grand sled approached him carrying a magnificent Queen. And so began Edmund’s demise. The allure was too great. The warmth of the sleigh enveloped him. The magical Turkish Delight too grand a temptation to deny… 

“At last the Turkish Delight was all finished and Edmund was looking very hard at the empty box and wishing that she would ask him whether he would like some more. Probably the Queen knew quite well what he was thinking; for she knew, though Edmund did not, that this was enchanted Turkish Delight and that anyone who had once tasted it would want more and more of it, and would even, if they were allowed, go on eating it till they killed themselves.”

The condition of his heart was not in a place of defense to recognize the warnings of temptation cloaked in enticement. It was frozen.
 
I sat in the snowy field and wondered… What is the condition of my heart? What is enticing me? In what areas of my life am I being tempted away from Truth? I identified some lies that the Enemy is attempting to weave into my story that would not bear fruit. And to be transparent, some of those lies were well on their way to becoming belief. 

The next day, the sun rose high over the field across the street, and the snow glistened as the sun touched each crystal. Hour by hour, a little more snow melted. Eventually, all evidence of our snowstorm was erased by the sun’s warmth. 

Snow-covered Narnia experienced a thaw as well. Aslan came, the allegory of Christ in the novel, and overcame the wicked Queen. Frozen waterfalls flowed valiantly again, forests came alive with the sound of creatures, greenery and life emerged again at last. 

It’s time for a thaw. Time for all of the things holding us captive to melt away by the power of the Son in our lives. Sprouts of goodness, newness, and life springing forth. 

Edmund became known as King Edmund the Just. Known for sound judgement. His heart thawed. Truth prevailed. 

Even though he’s a fictitious character, aren’t the similarities striking? 

May our hearts thaw, may Truth prevail, and as we grow in the Spirit each day, may we be known for sound judgment rooted in Christ. 

Father God, thank You for being patient with me and loving me, flaws included. Would You begin to thaw any areas of my heart that are unpleasing to You and in need of Your light? Thank You that despite being prone to wander, our salvation is sealed. Holy Spirit, strengthen me to be aware of temptation and flee from its grip. Lead me beside still waters. Amen

Hebrews 4:15-16, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (ESV)

Ephesians 1:13, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,” (ESV)

Lewis, C S, and Pauline Baynes. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. New York, NY: HarperTrophy, 1994. Print.