And that is the very end of the adventures of the wardrobe. But if the Professor was right it was only the beginning of the adventures of Narnia… (C.S. Lewis)

My friends, it is time to come back to reality. Our journey through the wonders of Narnia came to its end when Lent finished on Saturday night. Though the real world beckons, that in no way diminishes all we have learned these past weeks.

We began by willingly suspending our disbelief to accompany Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy through the wardrobe. As their eyes were opened by the wonder before them, it reminded us that we, too, must open our minds to the unexpected light that God places in our midst. We considered Lewis’ genius in the characters of the four Pevensie children, not to mention the “Deep Magic” meant to represent the truth of who God is that is at work among us. We talked about the importance of prophecy, not only as a means of finding our destinies, but more importantly as a way that God continues to speak truth into our world through us. We wrestled with evil in its many forms, ranging from embodiments of malicious intent to those of apathetic indifference. And then we watched with tear-filled eyes as Aslan, the mighty lion, gave himself for the traitor – remembering how Christ gave himself for all of us.

It has been a busy season.

Where do we go from here? During our last class I asked our congregation members what important insights they found in this series. One pointed out that the different British accents of the characters in the movie portrayed a wide variety of those who come into contact with God. Others noted that they had never realized all that was truly happening when they have read this book to their children – and how much of a genius Lewis was. One of the more concise remarks was “you never know what you will find in dark closets.”

This is perhaps the sagest advice of the bunch: you never know where God is going to show up. Yes, it is true that God is present in all parts of the creation. However, there are certainly times when God is visibly at work in our midst and usually it is in those locations we would never think to look – like a wardrobe.

Of the many lessons we have learned together throughout this course, this is what I hope you will take with you: Keep both eyes and both ears open. Embrace the wonder that is already in our midst. Seek out opportunities to learn more about God by learning about your neighbors near and far. Believe and stand up for one another. Pay attention and fight to see this world bathed in the warmth of God’s loving presence among all people. And most of all, remember that our God, like the great Aslan, is with us wherever we go.