today i was reading chapter 12 called the dark island in the voyage of the dawn treader and came up on this passage.
(just a little back story, they are sailing in the eastern sea on a voyage to find 7 lost lords of narnia, i believe they have already found a couple, or one, by now.. i don't really remember since i picked up reading it from such a long time ago... and they have come upon something that appears to be a huge cloud of darkness in the middle of the bright blue sunny ocean. of course they decided to enter. upon entering they find another lord and he tells them that the island is where dreams come true, but not daydreams, DREAMS. they at once all think of a dream they have tried their hardest to forget and paddle as fast as they can out of the darkness. but it starts to dawn on them all that they will never make it out... this is where we pick up.. with lucy)
"lucy leant her hand on the edge of the fighting top and whispered, "aslan, aslan, if ever you loved us at all, send us help now." the darkness did not grow any less, but she began to feel a little - a very, very little - better. "after all, nothing has really happened to us yet," she thought.
"look!" cried rynelf's voice hoarsely form the bows. there was a tiny speck of light ahead, and while they watched, a broad beam of light fell from it upon the ship. it did not alter the surrounding darkness, but the whole ship ws lit up as if by searchlight. caspian blinked, stared round, saw the faces of his companions all with wild, fixed expressions. everyone was staring in the same direction: behind everyone lay his black, sharply-edged shadow.
lucy looked along the beam and presently saw something in it. at first it looked like a cross, then it looked like an aeroplane, then it looked like a kite, and at last with a whirrling of wings it was right overhead and was an albatross. it circled three times round the mast and then perched for an instant on the crest of the gilded dragon at the prow. it called out in a strong sweet voice what seemed to be words though no one understood them. after that it spread its wings, rose, and began to fly slowly ahead, bearing a little to starboard. drinian steered after it not doubting that it offered good guidence. but no one except lucy knew that as it circled the mast it had whispered to her, "courage, dear heart," and the voice, she felt sure, was aslan's, and with the voice a delicious smell breathed in her face.
in a few moments the darkness turned into a grayness ahead, and then, almost before they dared to begin hoping, they had shot out into the sunlight and were in the warm, blue world again."
i was sitting in the mall when i read this and started crying.
there are two things this reminded me of, that go hand in hand.
God is always and ready to help us out of darkness when we ask. he will save us and keep us safe from all the evil that is around us, or all the evil that is in our darkest dreams.
it also made me think of my dreams. many of you know that for a while i was having really horrible dreams and nights, for when i woke up i couldn't go back to sleep because i was filled with fear, there were even nights when i had to leave my bedroom light on so i could fall back to sleep.
i had, on several occasions, people pray for me and over my house. but one occasion, two people prayed over me and i cannot even explain the amount that i felt the holy spirit, it was so overwhelming and glorious.
but every since that time, although i still wake up in the middle of the night, i have had pleasant dreams and when i do wake up i am not filled with fear any longer.
its amazing how the lord will help you, heal you and set you free.
most of the time all he is waiting for is for us to realize that we can't do it alone, and that we must let go. (like lucy asking aslan for help.)
God is truly the most amazing and loves us more then we know. (that in itself surpasses the most amazing anything ever in this world that you can think of.)
