The Silver Chair

The sixth book of C. S. Lewis's series is the first book since The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe that does not feature any of the Pevensie children. This time Eustace returns to Narnia with his new friend Jill. They are sent to Narnia and Jill is almost immediately given an assignment by Aslan. King Caspian's son and heir to the throne has been kidnapped. They are to find him. They go off on their quest, but they are easily distracted multiple times. Jill was given four signs by Aslan and did not obey three of them. One night Aslan has to appear to her to remind her of her quest. She feels awful and almost ruins their entire mission, risking their lives in the process. At the end of the story, Jill again meets up with Aslan and is almost ashamed to meet him. because of all the mistakes she made. But then Aslan says to her, "Think of that no more. I will not always be scolding. You have done the work for which I sent you into Narnia."

I love this imagery of the Savior. Throughout the book, Jill feels chastened for what she is doing wrong (or not doing what she should). But each time she was chastened, it wasn't to punish her. It was to put her on the right track. In the end, through the chastisement, Jill was able to do the work she was sent to do, and was lovingly received by Aslan. Each of us makes mistakes and we fall from the path. Fortunately God loves us and so He chastens us and helps us become better people. In the end, if we heed the chastisement and improve and learn to do His will, He will also welcome us into His warm embrace and say, "Well done. You have done the work for which I sent you to Earth."