C.S. Lewis hid brilliant insights in children’s tales, as when the character of Aslan is first introduced by Mr. Beaver–
“It’s no good, Son of Adam… But now that Aslan is on the move—”
“Oh, yes! Tell us about Aslan!” said several voices at once, for once again that strange feeling—like the first signs of spring, like good news—had come over them.
“Aslan? Why, don’t you know? He’s the king … It is he, not you, who will save Mr. Tumnus….”
“Is—is he a man?” asked Lucy.
“Aslan is a lion—THE Lion, the great Lion.”
“Ooh,” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous meeting a lion.”
“That you will, dearie, and no mistake. If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”
“Then he isn’t safe?”
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”
Job discovered the same: GOD IS NOT SAFE. BUT HE IS GOOD.
Job was a good man, a man of “PERFECT INTEGRITY.” Yet God allowed the enemy to rob Job of everything. And Job was left with DREAD, terrified of what God might do next:
“I am terrified in His presence… I am afraid of Him. God has made my heart faint. The Almighty has terrified me” Job 23: 15-16.
Job experienced deep fear. But remember the rest of the story: God came to Job, responded to Job’s complaints, then blessed Job with twice as much of everything—and decades of peace in which to enjoy it. “God blessed the latter days of Job’s life more than the former” 42:12. –And that was only Job’s EARTHLY life. Never forget heaven—ALL of us will be so blessed, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to come” Romans 8:18. Job’s earthly riches were doubled, and in heaven, he would have not ten children, but TWENTY.
Remember: God is not safe. He is not predictable. But He is GOOD.
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