Peeling away my Dragon skin

Over the past seven months I've been on a spiritual retreat of sorts. Although I've lived at home and visited family and friends in different places, I've been somewhat secluded in my days, seeking the Lord, and growing ever dependent on Him. His voice is the one I've been attempting to train my ear to hear and His presence has been more tangibly sought in my life over the past seven months. Leave it to the Lord to make it abundantly clear when He desires for you to sit still and deal with the matters of your heart that need to be changed by Him.

Last week I watched the newest flick that has come to DVD from the Narnia series, "Voyage of the Dawn Treader." I've have read the book several times but was struck by an image that was created from the words of the novel. Eustace, a boy turned into a dragon so that his outward appearance would match the condition of his heart, was being re-shaped and changed by the lion Aslan. Aslan had been changing his heart and as Eustace's soul changed, it became necessary for him to no longer be a dragon externally. The picture is of Aslan, with his paws, peeling away the scales of Eustace's dragon skin that he couldn't peel away for himself. It is obvious that this is a painful process for Eustace, but Aslan stands close, with great warm light, doing the work of peeling back his scales for him and presenting him with a refreshing bath and new clothes.


I love this picture because I think it's true of what our sanctification process ought to look like and I often need reminding how little of it I can do for myself. Like Eustace, I find the sinful places in me, and instead of simply offering them to the Lord, I try to fix them unfortunately growing for myself a covering of scaly skin on my heart. My pride sometimes thinks it's my responsibility to be make myself clean and new before the Lord. All along, Christ stands with the work already done on the cross and a new set of clothes for me to put on.

Matthew 11:28-30 says: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."


If you are weary and feel like a dragon in your own skin, you have nothing to do but to embrace Christ's "yoke" of love and be burden by His grace to find rest and new life. This has become such a helpful truth in sitting in a season that could reek with anxiety (and has in some respects), anger, and frustration. Sitting in Christ's love, receiving His grace has offered new life. I am His and that's enough. Who knew that would be so hard to learn?