The Horse and His Boy

On the very last day of the Narnia reading challenge, I finished The Horse and His Boy. This is the third time I have read the novel. In the past I would not have considered it one of my favorite Narnian tales, although it is growing on me. What never ceases to amaze me is how I can still find new gems of truth--ones that I missed on prior readings. Lewis is a genius here-weaving spiritual truth within compelling stories.

A few areas that stood out this time through The Horse and His Boy:

Shasta is desperately lost in the forest and very afraid. He meets Aslan although he can't really see him and is not entirely sure who Aslan is. So he asks,

"Who are you?"

"Myself," said the voice, very deep and low so that the earth shook; and again, "Myself", loud and clear and gay: and then the third time "Myself", whispered so softly you could hardly hear it, and yet it seemed to come from all round you as if the leaves rustled with it.

This is a clear picture of God in three persons. The first "Myself" is mighty God the Father, the creator of all things and so holy the earth shakes at his voice. The second "Myself" is Jesus, the son, clear and sure and joy-filled. The third "Myself" is the Holy Spirit--soft, small voice of comfort that is ever present.

And the very word "Myself" could be interchanged with "I AM".

Another powerful lesson (that I've missed on prior readings) was when Shasta finds the hedgehogs and the animals greet him with "Good morning, neighbor."

Shasta is quick to point out that he is no neighbor, indeed he is a stranger in the land. Here Lewis sneaks in a quick lesson on who is our neighbor. The hedgehog takes Shasta home and treats him exactly as a beloved neighbor, not a stranger.

And finally, in Chapter 14 Bree is trying to describe Aslan, but he's never actually seen him and even doubts his true existence. That's when Aslan suddenly appears and tells Bree to

"touch me. Smell me. Here are my paws, here is my tail, these are my whiskers. I am a true Beast."

sounds remarkably like John 20:24-29

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”