Is God your highest Treasure? Is He mine? That is the subject, I believe, of C. S. Lewis' classic novel, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
As the story opens, the Pevensie children are seperated, as Peter is preparing for his pre-college tests, Susan is visiting America with their parents, and Edmund and Lucy are staying with their horrid Aunt and Uncle and lousy cousin Eustace Scrubb.
Edmund and Lucy are in an upstairs room discussing the Narnian features they can see on a picture on the wall. Unfortunately, their cousin, who had heard them speak of Narnia before, and thought it all dumb fakery, overheard them. He came in and began to mock them, when the picture came to life, with the boat moving and great sprays of water splashing the three children. In the panic over the picture's behavior, all three were pulled into Narnia, and so the adventures begin.
Most people who remember the books remember it for three main plot points. Eustace's stint as a dragon, after which Aslan un-dragoned him; Reepicheep sailing to the End of the World and Aslan's country; and Aslan's revelation of being Jesus Christ in our world. All three of these events are important, but they are interconnected with the other events of the book to form the above theme that I have identified.
There were arguments, and great uncertainty among the characters, and treasure galore. The problem is that the treasure caused those Narnian lords who found it to either be trapped, or else killed. Caspian nearly makes fatal, selfish mistakes, and horribly sins against Aslan (God), in his love of these worldly, or even other-worldly treasures, over Aslan Himself.
The truest sense of peace, and of joy comes to all of the characters when they embrace the greatest Treasure of all, Which is Aslan Himself. This corresponds to real-life, as the greatest treasure here is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Himself. The devil and our sin natures try to tempt us to either seek false treasures, or else be happy with just God's gifts, while leaving Him out of our joy. This is sin, and also dreadful for us.
In his seminal book, Desiring God, Pastor John Piper explains a concept he calls "Christian Hedonism". This is to love and ravish God absolutely, enjoying Him fully, and taking utter pleasure in Him, above all else. I must be honest that I do not like this term, for changing definitions always bothers me. I also think that C. S. Lewis' view of joy is better and less problematic rhetorically than Piper's terminology.
All of that said, Piper is absolutely on the mark, just as Lewis was on the mark. God is our truest and finest Treasure. All of the good things about Heaven, and good gifts He gives us on this side of eternity for that matter, are worthless next to Him. He is God, and the Greatest Good ever. He desires His Own Glory above all else, and desires our good by sharing it with us.
The sad fact is that so many are afraid of God this way. They see His holiness and righteousness, but do not realize that this is part of His Glory He desires to share with us. Eternity will be a wondrous time of love with God and feasting in the very look, smell, sight, and feel of Him. We can start that time here an now. That is the true image of God. Yes, He is righteous, and He will judge, but He also sent His only Son, God Himself as Man, to die for us, and our sins. He rose again, and forever earned redemption for those who trust in Him. He opens His arms for us.
This is what Lewis was trying to tell us, I believe, though I could be wrong. I hate it when folks say authors definitely thought things they may or may not have thought. With that caveat in mind, that is what I think Lewis was trying to tell us with Aslan in this book, as the real Treasure, versus the fake treasure. Aslan satisfies the characters completely and absolutely as only He can. In the same way, only God, through His Son Jesus Christ, can satisfy us completely and absolutely.
Now, to the objection that the false treasures may not lead to some of the horrid, enchanted fates that the characters experienced or nearly experienced, well, that is not the point. The point is that when we pursue the wrong treasures, we either reject Christ and wind up continuing on the road toward man's current destination of Hell, or to little reward and great suffering in this world for those who do know Him as Lord and Savior, and are thus destined for Heaven.
The idea that Lewis wanted to communicate to his readers is clear. Embrace the false treasures, or even the good treasures without the Ultimate Treasure of Christ, and we suffer. Embrace the True, All-Satisfying, Treasure that is Christ, and we are destined to be happy. Not necessarily in this life, but in the next life, when we see everything from the perspective of eternity.
I will be honest herein. I find myself often wondering about this stuff. I believe it, but wonder about God's will for my life. I know it to be true, however, and I know that if I trust Him, not only will I be happy in the next life, but in this life, as well. Suffering with Christ will bring me, or any of us, greater joy than wealth without Him. I will embrace Christ for true Nourishment and Treasure. Please join me.
Some might say that this particular book is not very exciting, and they would be correct. The book is not a swash-buckling adventure. It is not a story of heroes slaying the evil monster. It is a story of heroes who grow, and only do so by making mistakes, and finding that there is only one way to completely grow and succeed in their mission. Trusting Aslan. Indeed, if one wants a tale of high adventure, then look elsewhere. This story is a tale of personal journeys, and spiritual growth in the Lord.
That is, in the end, the success of the book, and the greatest testament to Lewis' writing abilities. What is not very adventurous is a thrilling read. Why? Because Lewis communicated timeless truths in an interesting fashion. We can be grateful for God and how he used Lewis to help highlight these truths that are in His Word. A wonderful road sign pointing us to the Bible and what it says about the All-Satisfying God we serve.
This is the message of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and it is a wonderful message indeed. Highly Recommended.
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