I have never fancied myself as much of a reader. However, over the last 6 days, I have been completely entrenched in C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. And in the seven books, the one character that has struck the chord that resounds most in my own soul was none other than Reepicheep, the Captain of the Talking Mice of Narnia.
There were very few characters in all of Lewis’ works that were worthy of a comparison to the chivalry or bravery of this mouse. And there were none the better in regards to his sense of adventure in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Indeed it was Reepicheep who, upon the hearing of King Miraz’s imminent attack on the Narnians under the leadership of Prince Caspian, was the first to say,
And I think that somewhere deep down inside of all men, there is a little Reepicheep in us all. And if it be that such is not the case, I would believe it with all of my being that at some point in every man’s life, there has been a longing for that very spirit.
So how do we men, especially men of God, embrace this feeling of longing for the adventures of old in a world of fast paced living being driven more and more by our ever-incessant cell phones? Have the nights spent under a heavenly blanket of stars in the backyard of our youth been replaced by the taming of our souls to no longer seek out a greater quest than the one we're on? I feel that we are in some great and terrible danger to succumbing to a life of melodramatic office meetings and deadlines.
But there is most assuredly an illustrious venture set before us. As J.I. Packer said,
Reepicheep doesn’t inspire because of the fact that I was always the smallest kid in my grade and he seemed to be constantly reminded of his stature as a mouse (even by his friends). Or because as any good son of Ireland (no matter how far removed), I'm not afraid of a confrontation coming to blows regardless of the assurance of victory or the heavy handed foresight of an impending defeat.
Reepicheep inspires me because I should hope that within me, there is a man who would ask to be in the front of a battle for the souls of humanity and the cause of Truth. That there is one within me who has completely sold out to the cause of his Lord and that by all costs would find himself in the unreserved service of his Master.
They say that young men are made for war and old men for peace. And whilst peace is on all accounts more desirable than war, may it be far from me that I should look back on the days of my youth and find myself unwilling to contend for my Savior. All those who have tasted of battle long for the stillness of amity, but those who have found themselves in the service of the great King of Glory find that there is nothing sweeter than to be spent in the service of such a high and noble calling.
1 Corinthians 16:13Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
There were very few characters in all of Lewis’ works that were worthy of a comparison to the chivalry or bravery of this mouse. And there were none the better in regards to his sense of adventure in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Indeed it was Reepicheep who, upon the hearing of King Miraz’s imminent attack on the Narnians under the leadership of Prince Caspian, was the first to say,
“Hurray! Let them come! All I ask is that the King will put me and my people in the front.”And in the flight of courage from Edmund, Lucy, and even King Caspian himself, it was Reepicheep that stayed the course and charged,
“If I were addressing peasants or slaves, I might suppose that this suggestion proceeded from cowardice. But I hope it will never be told in Narnia that a company of noble and royal persons in the flower of their age turned tail because they were afraid of the dark… And here is as great as an adventure as ever I heard of, and here, if we turn back, no little impeachment of all our honours.”
And I think that somewhere deep down inside of all men, there is a little Reepicheep in us all. And if it be that such is not the case, I would believe it with all of my being that at some point in every man’s life, there has been a longing for that very spirit.
So how do we men, especially men of God, embrace this feeling of longing for the adventures of old in a world of fast paced living being driven more and more by our ever-incessant cell phones? Have the nights spent under a heavenly blanket of stars in the backyard of our youth been replaced by the taming of our souls to no longer seek out a greater quest than the one we're on? I feel that we are in some great and terrible danger to succumbing to a life of melodramatic office meetings and deadlines.
But there is most assuredly an illustrious venture set before us. As J.I. Packer said,
"What makes life worthwhile is having a big enough objective, something which catches our imagination and lays hold of our allegiance; what higher, more exalting and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?"
Reepicheep doesn’t inspire because of the fact that I was always the smallest kid in my grade and he seemed to be constantly reminded of his stature as a mouse (even by his friends). Or because as any good son of Ireland (no matter how far removed), I'm not afraid of a confrontation coming to blows regardless of the assurance of victory or the heavy handed foresight of an impending defeat.
Reepicheep inspires me because I should hope that within me, there is a man who would ask to be in the front of a battle for the souls of humanity and the cause of Truth. That there is one within me who has completely sold out to the cause of his Lord and that by all costs would find himself in the unreserved service of his Master.
They say that young men are made for war and old men for peace. And whilst peace is on all accounts more desirable than war, may it be far from me that I should look back on the days of my youth and find myself unwilling to contend for my Savior. All those who have tasted of battle long for the stillness of amity, but those who have found themselves in the service of the great King of Glory find that there is nothing sweeter than to be spent in the service of such a high and noble calling.
1 Corinthians 16:13Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
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