The Lion

I have always thought it would be adventurous to take a Safari into the jungle and see all the wild animals. The lion comes to mind as one of the fiercest with it muscular, broad-chested body, hairy mane, and mighty roar. I certainly would not want to meet up with one on foot. 

     I might be more comfortable if I were traveling with Samson. In scripture, when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power, he tore the lion apart with his bare hand as he might have torn a young goat. 

     I might not have minded being around a lion if I had been with Daniel in the lions’ den, because God protected him. 

     Yet, I am warned in 1 Peter 5:8 to watch out for lions, “to be alert and of sober mind for my enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

     I take great comfort in knowing that the lion grows weary, and I have the ability just as Samson did to grow strong. Psalm 34 tells me that. “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” 

Three Special Men

     God was not pleased with the people of Israel when He gave the prophet, Ezekiel, several messages to deliver to them.  God's displeasure of His people's sinful ways was enough to make me shudder at my own sinful ways and what God might want to do to make me reconsider my own thoughts and actions.
     However, when I read Ezekiel, Chapter 14, verses 14 and 20 I sit up and took notice of how righteous God considered three other men in past scripture.  (vs.14) "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God."  (vs.20) "Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness."
     Obviously, God was well-pleased with these three men.  Maybe I should go back and take special notice of how these three men lived their lives.
     I am sure Noah was not perfect, but he loved God, and we were told of no serious sins.  He tried to do what was right and appeared to love his family.  When God told him to build an ark for a coming great flood, Noah obeyed, even though he had never seen rain, much less a flood, during his entire lifetime.  Furthermore, he continued his God-given task even though all the people mocked him.
     I don't know what Daniel's character flaws may have been, but I found him to be humble, never promoting himself.  He was intelligent, but gave God credit for interpreting the dreams of others.  Daniel remained true to his convictions.  He was truly a man of prayer, and one who trusted God and remained faithful even when thrown into the lion's den.
     In the beginning verse of Job, we are told, "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." Then in verse 8 God told Satan, "...there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth god, and escheweth evil."  Now that is a pretty impressive description of a human man living in a sinful world.  What makes Job even a greater man, in man's eyes, is that he lost all his worldly possessions, yet he never denied God.
     I believe I would do good to strive to exemplify these character traits. 

Fear What God Can Do

     I am in the process of a Bible study, Joy of Living, on the Prophecy in the Book of Daniel.  Often, I am like Daniel was when he saw visions and received some explanations on what was going to happen at the end of the times.  The study leaves me disturbed and perflexed.   Yet, as I read about the end times, the anti-Christ, his control, and the plight of the Christians, I am comforted by Matthew 10:28.  "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
     As a reminder of this scripture, I decided to write the following prose:

Fear What God Can Do  

 

Only fear what God can do!

Not the evil where sin has grew,

Not the persecution done;

Dwell upon the life we've won.

Count on what God can do.

Not the troubles that we've drew,

Not man's injury and pain;

Rather, walk the life-giving lane.

Fear your God and what He can do!

Not the cruel words delivered, and you knew,

Not the hazards of the land;

Hold to promises God has planned.

 Fear what God can do!

Not man's earthly view,

Not the world or social control;

Only God can kill the soul!

His heart is where we need to dwell

To keep us from the fires of hell. 

                            Mary Crisp Jameson