The Lady of Perelandra

Not the Lady of Perelandra, just a cool pic I found

The Lady of Perelandra is a depiction of another Eve on another planet in another creation story that parallels the biblical account of our own Eve, planet, and creation story. She, in C.S. Lewis’ mind, is the epitome of innocence, all that was before self-centeredness and willful disobedience molded our present world. That is all I will say about this most wonderful story I am in the midst of reading now lest I spoil it for those who dare tread its pages. A good read it is…C.S. Lewis is a wonderful theologian.

Some of her responses to the main character, Ransom, when he lands on “her” world, are to die for. Here we see a fallen, experienced human being talking with a woman – the Mother of the planet God (Maledil) has made – yet untouched by anything but the Good Lord’s goodness, love, and providence. That which was to be, in the plan of God talking with that which became, in the plan of man. Some of her conversations with him and another character, the Lord’s antithesis, Satan himself who also finds his way into “her” world, are very, very good. Excerpts:

EXCERPT #1: The Lady and Ransom (Piebald)
“Perhaps my world is wrong about this,” said Ransom rather feebly, for he was dismayed at what he had done.
“It is not so,” said she. “Maledil Himself has told me now. And it could not be so, if your world has no floating lands. But He is not telling me why He has forbidden it to us.”
“There’s probably some good reason,” began Ransom, when he was interrupted by her sudden laughter.
“Oh, Piebald, Piebald,” she said, still laughing. “How often the people of your race speak!”
“I’m sorry,” said Ransom, a little put out.
“What are you sorry for?”
“I am sorry if you think I talk too much.”
“Too much? How can I tell what would be too much for you to talk?”“In our world when they say a man talks much they mean they wish him to be silent.”
“If that is what they mean, why do they not say it?”
“What made you laugh?” asked Ransom, finding her question too hard.
“I laughed, Piebald, because you were wondering, as I was, about this law which Maledil has made for one world and not for another. And you had nothing to say about it and yet made the nothing up into words.”

How often I do that…

EXCERPT #2: The Lady and Weston, presently inhabited by Satan (see Genesis 3:1-5 for parallels)
“I am wondering,” said the woman’s voice, “whether all the people of your world have the habit of talking about the same thing more than once. I have said already that we are forbidden to dwell on the Fixed Land. Why do you not either talk of something else or stop talking?”
“Because this forbidding is such a strange one,” said the Man’s (Weston’s) voice. “And so unlike the ways of Maledil in my world. And He has not forbidden you to think about dwelling on the Fixed land.”
“That would be a strange thing – to think about what will never happen….this goes beyond all. Stepping out of what is into what might be and talking and making things out there…alongside the world.”
….
“It is not from the making a story that I shrink back, O stranger, “she answered, “but from this one story that you have put into my head. I can make myself stories about my children of the King. I can make it that the fish fly and the land beasts swim. But if I try to make the story about living on the Fixed Island [which is forbidden by Maledil] I do not know how to make it about Maledil. For if I make it that He has changed His command, that will not go. And if I make it that we are living there against His command, that is like making the sky black and the water so that we cannot drink it and the air so that we cannot breathe it. But also, I do no see what is the pleasure of trying to make these things.”
“To make you wiser, older,” said Weston’s body.
“Do you know for certain that it will do that?” she asked.
“Yes, for certain,” it replied. “That is how the women of my world have become so great and so beautiful.”
“Do not listen to him,” broke in Ransom; “send him away. Do not hear what he says, do not think of it.”
-----------------------------
One wonders if the Eve of our world had heeded those wise words of Ransom whether or not things would be different in our world today. Alas, such speculation is vain and pointless.

Would to God we all could heed those words. Therein lay our victory over our age old enemy.

For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ; and having readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
(2Co 10:4-6)

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(Jam 4:7)