Alice and the Jabberwocky
First published in Carroll, Lewis. 1871. Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There.
In the 2010 movie version of Alice in Wonderland, the Red Queen held Wonderland captive when Alice arrived via rabbit hole. In this particular story, Alice visited Wonderland once before as a child. Now she was back, and according to everyone in Wonderland, she was there for a purpose.
In the Oraculum, a prophetic scroll that predicted each day in the history of Wonderland, Alice was to return from the land above and slay the evil monster, the Jabberwocky on the Frabjous Day. On that day, the reign of the evil Red Queen would end and rightfully return to the White Queen. Alice was going to champion their cause against the Jabberwocky. But there was a problem: Alice.
According to the blue caterpillar, Alice was “hardly” Alice anymore, and Alice said she didn’t “slay,” making her an unlikely candidate for the role of heroine. She had to slowly become a believer, and it wasn’t easy. Things were very different.
Cats could disappear, animals could talk, drinks could make you shrink, cake could make you grow, there was a place called Wonderland, and none of it made sense. Who was she now in this strange and curious place?
However, the more she accepted as fact the things that were impossible, the more courage she developed. After several frightening adventures and becoming friends with many strange characters, she became convinced that she must be the one to slay the Jabberwocky on the Frabjous Day with the Vorpal Sword and save Wonderland. But it wasn’t until she began to speak and believe the impossible and say, “I can slay the Jabberwocky,” that she was able to do it.
So what does that have to do with me? With you? With our destinies?
Am I really a child of God? Is my destiny written in God’s “Oraculum,” and how do I find the courage and power to do it? Will I believe that the impossible is true and by believing become a Spirit-filled hero/heroine in Jesus’ continuing story of redemption?
Will I believe that:
Sin disappears.
The Word of God speaks.
God’s glory makes me shrink.
Christ’s humility makes me grow.
There’s a place called the Kingdom of God.
Through Christ and his Spirit, I can slay the Jabberwocky.
An Invitation to Wonder 