In C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Susan asks Mr. Beaver if Aslan—the lion representing Jesus—is safe. He answers, “Safe? ... Who said anything about safe? ’Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” Through allegory, Lewis implies that while God isn’t “safe” in the way we often think of the word, we can always rely on His goodness.
This is apparent throughout Scripture. In Genesis alone, we see Noah enduring a boat ride on deadly floodwaters, Isaac nearly sacrificed by his father Abraham, and Joseph sold, falsely accused, and imprisoned (Gen. 7:17; Gen. 22:12; Gen. 37:28-36; Gen. 39:1-20). And all this happened when people were faithful to God—not as punishment or consequences of going astray. But we know how these stories end: God came through for His children.
God won’t give us the things we want whenever we want them—so sometimes we’ll feel exposed and vulnerable. And we might not hear from Him when we pray. But we can rest assured that our Father’s love and goodness are always with us.
Think about it
• If you’ve been praying for a need, what has God been saying, and how will it affect your decisions? Or, if you haven’t heard from Him yet, what might He be saying through His silence?
