Words'nTone

Although most will admit a spiritual thirst exists, many are either ignorant of why it exists or where such a thirst can be filled.  I find that most simply refuse to acknowledge that God has something to do with their spiritual thirst.  More information may contribute little, however, to making sense of modern man’s spiritual thirst.  At times, simply hearing a story will often do more to reach the mind than an elegant argument.

The scene comes from The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis.  Jill, one of the children, meets Aslan, the Lion, for the first time.  In the story, the Lion is the symbol for Jesus Christ.  Let’s listen in:

     When Jill stopped, she found she was dreadfully thirsty… [T]here was perfect silence except for one small persistent sound.  She listened carefully and felt almost sure it was the sound of running water.
     Jill…looked around her very carefully.  There was no sign of the Lion; but there were so many trees about that it might easily be quite close without her seeing it … But her thirst was very bad now, and she plucked up her courage to… look for that running water.
     …she came to an open glade and saw the stream, bright as glass… [A]lthough the sight of the water made her feel ten times thirstier than before, she didn’t rush forward and drink.  She stood still as if she had been turned into a stone, with her mouth wide open.  And she had a very good reason: just this side of the stream lay the Lion…
     “Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion.
     “I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.
     “Then drink,” said the Lion.
     “May I—could I—would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.
     The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl.  And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
     The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
     “Will you promise not to—do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.
     “I make no promise,” said the Lion.
     Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
     “Do you eat girls?” she said.
     “I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion.
     “I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill.
     “Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.
     “Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer.  “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”
     “There is no other stream,” said the Lion.

Most admit spiritual thirst exists, and today, many are indicating a need to fulfill this thirst.  However, many are left “dying for thirst” because they are afraid of dealing with God Himself.  Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” As Aslan points out to the child, “There is no other stream.”

© Chip M. Anderson (February 2008)
    Words’nTone, Habits of the Mind
    Originally written for a RZIM Slice of Infinity radio broadcast

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