It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. (Prov 25:2)

One of my fondest memories is doing scavenger hunts with a church college group. You know: where someone hides a bunch of worthless stuff all over town, then gives you a bunch of nonsensical clues to find them, and you waste a bunch of gas (not to mention ruin the earth) looking for them. I think God is a little like that. He conceals things from us and we must search them out, not because he's a mean college leader, but because he knows that the best way for us to learn lessons is by discovery.

That's what MovedMe in this installment of The Chronicles of Narnia: the fact that Aslan allows Peter to go through the journey unfolded before us, so he could learn some valuable lessons.

Men Behaving Badly The first picture we get of Peter is in modern day England, and he's fighting some bullies on the way to school. His explanation? They bumped him and then asked him to apologize. The look on his face as he was explaining the rest of the story was like, "Don't they know who I am? I am the High King of Narnia!"

I could almost sense the frustration welling up inside him. He had tasted the glories of being not only a king but the High King of Narnia! He was frustrated with his life in common, modern-day England. I started to wonder if that's why many men behave badly, why our gender is responsible for many of the woes of our society. I mean we aren't all High Kings of Narnia or anything lame like that; but as Genesis 1 reminds us, we are image-bearers of God. Since this mundane life cannot contain us, we often get bored or frustrated and act out. This is not an excuse, but an observation. We were meant for so much more; Jesus comes to restore that in us.

For Peter? Peter aches for Narnia, even wondering out loud, in that train station, why it has been a year since coming back to modern-day England... as a kid, no less. I believe he's even questioning Aslan at this point. He gets his wish and is transported with his siblings to a Narnia they do not remember, because Narnia has aged 1300 years or so. Peter picks up right where he left off, ruling and reigning, only this time he's trying to do it for himself and by himself.

We see this as he usurps Prince Caspian, who called them there and was doing just fine leading the Narnians before Peter got there. We also see it in some key lines from the movie. As Peter is pridefully telling everyone how they will capture King Miraz' castle, Lucy asks him if he even remembers that it was Aslan who actually defeated the White Witch. Later Susan joins the fray by asking who he (Peter) is doing all this for as he forces their failing plan to take over the castle.

This journey we watch Peter going through is one of faith. Many come to believe in Jesus and everything goes great, until there is a trial or life hands them some setbacks. It is so easy to lose that faith, lose heart... just as Peter endured that year of being a normal boy and must have lost faith in Aslan. But God allows us to go on a bit of a journey, just like Peter. I love how he comes back.

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