The Adventures of Mole and Rat

Sometimes children’s literature is the best place to turn when we want to gain a better understanding of those eternal truths which can, at times, be difficult to explain. This is particularly true when it comes to explaining what is meant by the little phrase, “the fear of the Lord.” Proverbs 9:10 tells us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (NIV). As you might know, this is not a fear filled with terror, or the run-and-hide response of being scared, but an awe-filled respect that causes us to bow in adoration before the presence of the Lord. Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932) captured a way of describing this fear in his children’s classic entitled The Wind in the Willows. In the presence of such profound mystery and divine holiness, the two main characters in the story, Mole and Rat, experience the following:

The Rat whispered, “’Here, in this holy place, here if anywhere, surely we shall find Him!’ Then suddenly the Mole felt a great Awe fall upon him, and awe that turned his muscles to water, bowed his head, and rooted his feet to the ground. It was no panic terror – indeed he felt wonderfully at peace and happy – but it was an awe that smote and held him and, without seeing, he knew that it could only mean that some august Presence was very, very near….. ‘Rat!’ he found breath to whisper, shaking. ‘Are you afraid?’ ‘Afraid?’ murmured the Rat, his eyes shining with unutterable love. ‘Afraid! Of Him? O, never, never! And yet – and yet – O, Mole, I am afraid!’ Then the two animals, crouching to the earth, bowed their heads and did worship.”

This story encourages us to feel the sense of awe, the sense of mystery – indeed, the overwhelming sense of respect – that standing in the Presence of God affords us. In His presence there is joy! In His Presence there is peace! It’s as if all the highs of human experience rush together into one, for immediately we want to laugh, shout, dance, run, clap, rejoice and worship all at once! And also, in His Presence there is fear, but not a fear that says, “Run!” but a fear that says, “Stay” – and, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10, NIV). It is in those times of standing before the Lord that we become more keenly aware of how awesome He really is. In fact, the sheer magnitude of His presence becomes overwhelming as we realize how small we are in comparison to His greatness. As the prophet Isaiah asks on the Lord’s behalf, “’To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One…The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth” (Is. 40:25, 28, NIV).

In his classic novel entitled The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the late Oxford and Cambridge scholar, C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), provides another description of what it would be like to stand before Ultimate Royalty, which is portrayed in his book as a mighty lion named Aslan. Here we get to listen in on a conversation with Lucy, Susan and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver:

“’Is – he a man?’ asked Lucy. ‘Aslan a man!’ said Mr. Beaver sternly. ‘Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the Great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea…’ ‘Ooh!’ said Susan. ‘I thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.’ ‘That you will, dearie, and no mistake,’ said Mrs. Beaver. ‘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?’ said Lucy. ‘Safe?’ said Mr. Beaver. ‘Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.’”

This description of meeting Aslan is gripping, for it removes from out thinking the idea that God is somehow manageable and that He can be tamed. Of course, the Lord God Almighty is not like that. He is not some “cosmic bellhop” that can be ordered around and controlled, for He is as Job said the God who “does whatever he pleases” (Job 23:13), NIV). As we come before the Lord Almighty – the Everlasting Father, the Ancient of Days – we do so knowing that He is beyond what we can imagine, but we also come knowing that He is good, full of love and truly compassionate.