From The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, Chapter 8, when the four Pevensie children are talking with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver about Aslan:
“Is—is he a man?” asked Lucy.
“Aslan a man!” said Mr. Beaver sternly. “Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-sea. Don’t you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion.”
“Ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. “Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”
“That you will, dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”
“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
“I’m longing to see him,” said Peter, “even if I feel frightened when it comes to the point.”
Aslan is the character that C.S. Lewis uses throughout the Narnia books to represent Christ. Aslan / Christ is not safe. God’s plan often takes us over unchartered territory — externally and internally. My plan is typically limited by my preconceived ideas of what is best or what is possible. Yet with God, all things are possible.
Aslan / Christ is not safe, but he is good. He gives us what we need. He will never forsake us. We can give ourselves totally to his control and trust that he loves us and has our life in his hands. He is good in that we can rely on him to show us the way, the truth, and the life — if we / I surrender, knees knocking and all, stepping through our fright and uncertainty with courage.
Finally, Aslan / Christ is King. He is in charge and has everything under control and under his authority. And that also is good as he is so much more greater and wiser and mighty than we are. After all, he made us — so there. We have a King that is good!
Life with God is not the safe option, but you and I can trust him to be utterly good.
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