Narnia and a Lenten Wait

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope.” (Psalm 130:5 NKJV)

Easter is coming…but before that celebratory day, there’s a wait.

Starting with Ash Wednesday, the weeks leading up to Easter Sunday are known as Lent on some church calendars. It’s a time for reflection, repentance, fasting, prayer, and sacrifice. 

Mostly, I think, it’s a season for waiting.

Put yourself in the shoes of the ancient Israelites who had longed for their Messiah to arrive. By the time Jesus was born, four centuries had passed since the last prophecy about Him. That’s a long time to wait. Yet when His momentous birthday arrived, there were no parades or fanfares for Him. No one expected to find Him in a livestock manger. Most people just continued to wait and hope.

Fast-forward about 30 years, when Jesus launches His official ministry throughout the countryside. His message isn’t what His listeners anticipated, however. They were looking for a king to deliver them from the oppressive Roman rule, but here’s Someone who talks about being a good shepherd, loving others, and a kingdom in heaven. Do they accept Him as the true Messiah or keep waiting?

Then, it’s Palm Sunday. Jesus gets the parade and recognition of His kingship. For a few days in Jerusalem, people throng to hear His sermons and catch a glimpse of His miracles. Maybe Jesus really is the Messiah. Can they make the jump into full belief? Some do…and some don’t.

I’m reminded of Narnia in C.S. Lewis’s “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”* It’s an imaginary land created by Lewis for four brothers and sisters to explore, entered through a wardrobe door filled with fur coats. 

All is not well in Narnia. It’s covered in snow and ice, due to an evil witch’s curse. As resident Mr. Tumnus (a faun) tells Lucy (one of the siblings), it’s “always winter and never Christmas.”

There’s no hope in Narnia. There might have been at one time, but the lawful king left and has been gone quite a while. Yes, there are rumors he might be on the verge of returning, but no one has seen him yet.

Lewis wrote his famed novel as a gift to his goddaughter, Lucy, but its appeal has transcended the fairy-tale realm of childhood because of his allegory to the harsh reality of grown-up life.

Lewis invokes God’s greatest promise, however, with his character Aslan. Despite the abandonment of all hope—first in the icy oppression of Narnia’s witch and then in the catastrophic death of its king—there was great victory and rejoicing with an unexpected revelation of life.

We live in a Narnia world, too. We know that God exists and that He promised a Savior, but so many bad things shake the foundations of our faith. Wars drag on, pandemics deprive us of loved ones, crimes demoralize us, jobs vanish, children abandon us. This life on Earth is indeed full of pain. 

Christ’s disciples, family, and friends experienced the wretchedness of watching their Savior and all of their dreams die. They grieved through Good Friday and the Sabbath Saturday. Could this horrific death of their beloved Lord truly have happened? Was all their belief in Him as the Son of God the truth or a lie? What good could come from this?

They got their answer quickly the next morning, Easter Sunday. The ultimate miracle! A definitely-dead Man was now alive, brought back to life and strength. God Himself once more lived and walked among His people. As He had declared, nothing is impossible with Him.

Perhaps you’re in a bleak season. It’s hard to wait. It’s hard to hang onto hope. It’s hard to trust in a God who has delayed in fulfilling His promises…or has answered your prayers with “no.”

Friend, you and I serve a mighty God who has taken us into His fold, holds us with His hand, and promises that He will never let us go. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we can be assured of His power and love for us. 

This Lenten season before Easter is a good time for each of us to reflect on the promises of God and the power He gives to carry us through times of despair. As you walk with Him in these next weeks, ask Him to take you to Scriptures that confirm your faith. Think about what His death and resurrection mean specifically to you. Ask God to lead you away from sin and turn you back to serving Him.

Let His promises of eternal life bring you victory and resurrect your hope in His glorious power.

Holy God, Father of our Lord Jesus, the One who raised Him from death, may I forever praise Your amazing plans and power. Dispel the darkness that threatens to overtake me, and hide my soul in Your refuge. You are the One who lifts up my head—please continue to bless me with Your encouraging presence. May I focus on You and Your grace in this season. In Your Son’s life-giving name, Amen.

Nancy C. Williams is a Christian wife/mom with a writing career spanning more than 40 years in business and journalism. Williams is the author of the novel To Love a Falcon and the devotional book A Crocus in the Desert: Devotions, Stories, and Prayers for Women Experiencing Infertility. Her blogs are featured on Crossmap.com and AriseDaily. To follow Nancy’s posts and news, go to her home page at NancyCWilliams.com and subscribe at the bottom. 

© Copyright 2025 Nancy C. Williams (text and photography). Unless otherwise noted, Scripture verses are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. #Easter #Lent #resurrection #narnia #cslewis #aslan #promise