“God's not dead … He's living on the inside, roaring like a
lion!" ~ Newsboys
He hesitated at the edge of the
shade and roared - nothing like human speech or bird song, but sound that came from deep within his body and projected with such force that it could be heard
for miles. His Majesty, the 'King’ was calling his pride.
The lion has always seemed like the most confident animal in
the zoo, standing there all regal-looking, smugly bearing his royal crown. He eats when he wants, sleeps as much as he
wants, and paces where he wants.
Strategically located just inside the main gate, he has it
all; the undisputed King. But lions are
neither the most rapid and agile, or even the smartest. Nor are they the strongest or the fastest.
I’m certainly no lion!
There are days when it seems like getting all the pieces to
fit seems overwhelming; so draining that I’m brought to my knees in
desperation.
There are days when I feel fairly competent as a parent. Then we’ll have one of “thOse” days when the
bickering and whining are incessant; days filled with too much yelling and plenty
of doubt.
There are days when I feel like I’m relatively fit,
exercising daily and watching what I eat. But then there are “th0se” days when I see
photos of celebrities with rock-hard abs.
What was left of my confidence deflates like a popped balloon.
There are days when I feel like I am making progress
professionally. And then there are “thOse”
days when a client complains about progress on a project, or chooses to follow
another path entirely. How do others do
it?
Consider the lion - he doesn't even have to roar - there’s
power in silence and persistence. It’s
like he doesn’t have to prove that he’s a threat – everyone already knows what
he’s capable of.
Jesus was the complete lion ... who was, is and always will
be. He moved with intention, with
purpose, with clarity, to save us - and the world.
And now, He’s passed the baton to each of us. But I’m not perfect. Maybe we’re all just trying to be the
best that we can be. His Word is filled
with promises of strength and courage when we place our confidence in Him. It’s in those moments of surrender that we
see just how faithful our God is and we feel His overwhelming love and strength
fill our souls.
God Almighty, help me seek and hear You with the
brute force of a lion. Show me how to care
for others uncondi-tionally by wearing Your example on my sleeve. And give me
the confidence to shout what I believe like lyrics at a rock concert. Amen
