by Laura Dibert
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” | Philippians 2:12
C.S. Lewis’s third Narnia installment, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, contains two chapters that made me think more seriously about why I obey God.
In the early part of the book, King Caspian and the crew come to the Lone Islands. These islands are part of Narnian domain, though far away from the land itself. While there, Caspian and some of his crew are captured. After a day of captivity they find themselves in front of Governor Gumpas, a man loyal to Narnia “in words only” (Dawn Treader, 48). During his time on the island, Caspian finds that “everything in the islands was done in a slovenly, slouching manner” (54). Narnian law is not upheld or practiced.
In a thrilling takedown of this paltry, ineffective leader, Caspian asserts his Kingship, calls the Governor to account for his misdeeds, and quickly relieves Gumpas of his duties. Afterwards, Caspian installs a Lord whose love and loyalty to Narnia are made clear through quick obedience and proper actions.
How could Gumpas have been so foolish as to neglect his duties? Did he not recognize his obligation to govern everyone living on the Lone Islands? Did he forget about the higher responsibility to the King in Narnia he served? Maybe at one point he did, but something caused him to ignore those duties. His laziness, compounded by a lack of loyalty to his true country, trickled down to all the men who served under him. This heart posture had ample time to grow over a long absence from any kind of Narnian authority.
The book of Nehemiah offers some similarities and some contrast to the Lone Islands and Gumpas’s lack of obedience, leadership, and honor. Nehemiah, also a governor, and a group of Israelite exiles go to Jerusalem to rebuild its wall and take residence in the city after a long exile. After over a decade of rebuilding the wall and reinstating the temple’s ordinances, Nehemiah returns to Babylon for a set amount of time. Before he leaves, the Israelite exiles read God’s Law. They outwardly repent of the sins that led them into exile and indicate their intention to obey the Lord’s ordinances as they dwell in Jerusalem: “We will not neglect the house of our God.” (Neh. 10:39)
Perhaps predictably Israel does not live up to her promises of obedience. While Nehemiah is gone, the temple is not taken care of. The Levite priests do not receive their portion and must, instead of working in the temple, return to their fields. An enemy of Nehemiah’s is given permission to live in the temple’s courthouse. Sabbath rest is not honored. Just like in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the people’s obedience is weakened because of their own sin and a strong leader’s absence.
As I read these two books – one fictional, the other inspired – I had to reckon with my own heart posture. Do I take obeying God’s instructions seriously? Do I take the time to not just read, but study his Word? How often do I push off what God says to do – talk about the gospel with my children, give sacrificially of my time and money, or share the gospel with a parent on the playground – because he feels far away, not witnessing my wrong actions or my timid heart? Limp, half-hearted obedience comes easily when I imagine God is far away.
Many small decisions strengthen or weaken a whole community. When we choose to skip church because of a chaotic schedule, that can discourage our church family. When we consistently neglect reading or studying God’s Word, our hearts and our families miss out. All of the little decisions we make do not just affect us, but they let sin’s roots grow deeper in our hearts and their vines creep out into our actions.
Consequently, every single time we obey God, we strengthen our hands and our hearts. We obey the Holy Spirit. We honor Jesus who is in heaven and who will return. Whenever we confess our sin, prioritize worship as a church body, and share the Gospel, we obey God before his return. After his resurrection, Jesus tells Thomas “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (Jn. 20:29)
Happy are we, brothers and sisters, when we obey even when our Father isn’t here with us. Consider that obeying God and living by his Word even when we do not see him is precisely the opposite of our first parents, Adam and Eve, whose disobedience when God was not with them led to death. But through Jesus’s death, and our belief and confession of him as Savior and King, we have life in his name (Jn. 20:31). Let’s obey our King who will come back one day. Let’s obey out of a happy heart because we love him.
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