Near the end of Prince
Caspian*, a battle is fought between the Old Narnians, at the command of King Peter, against the Telmarines, with the impostor King Miraz. The battle is a success, however, Reepicheep lost his tail. He is now praying to Aslan to restore the tail. Let us see what happened...
"But what do you want with a
tail?" asked Aslan.
"Sir," said the Mouse, "I can eat and sleep and die for my King
without one. But a tail is the honor and glory of a Mouse."
"I have sometimes wondered, friend," said Aslan, "whether you do
not think too much about your honor."
"Why have your followers all
drawn their swords,
may I ask?" said Aslan.
"May it please your High Majesty," said the second Mouse, whose name
was Peepiceek, "We are all waiting to cut off our own tails if our Chief
must go without his. We will not bear the shame of wearing an honor which
is denied to the High Mouse."
"Ah!"
roared Aslan. "You have conquered me. You have great
hearts. Not for the sake of your dignity, Reepicheep, but for the love
that is between you and your people, and still more for the kindness your
people showed me long ago when you ate away the cords that bound me on the
Stone Table and it was then, though you have long forgotten it, that you began
to be Talking Mice,
you shall have your tail again."
And so,
for asking with submission to the will of the King, and with the right
end of doing good unto others and to make use of what may be bestowed, and for
the honor and interest of the King, Reepicheep's petition is granted by
the Great Lion.
Let's
check our motives when we pray. The Scripture said it negatively,
"When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:3)."
_________
Note:
Prince Caspian, Return to Narnia, A Story for Children by C.S. Lewis, is Published by Geoffrey Bles in 1951.
nice kuya..
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