From the Lion’s Mouth

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

2 Timothy 4: 17

 

Do you feel the hot, smelly breath, hear the growl, and feel the knife-like sharpness of the teeth; then, you are in the lion’s mouth. The heart starts to race uncontrollably, sweat pours from the brow, and you need to decide whether to run for your life or to just surrender to the inevitable, while hoping that the pain will be over quickly. Life is full of lion’s mouth experiences. We are the victims of circumstances in some of them, and we are the ones who jumped over the protective fences and climbed into the cage with the big kitty in many of them.

 

Despite my own behaviors and actions with their impulsively, unpredictability, and pure foolishness, God stays with me. He pulls me out of the cage, He stops the bad events, and He shows me the way to survive it all. I may still need a shower to wash away the beast’s saliva, I may have some serious wounds that will need to heal, and I may have a lot of relationship damage to repair, but the Lord saves and preserves my life.

 

So why would God continually do this sort of thing for a silly and headstrong child such as I? He loves me. There is no other answer that is greater than this one; for, my God is the Savior of my soul and of my life. He redeemed me from evil’s grasp so that I could spend an eternity with Him and so that I could start that eternity now. The loving Father that is God wants all of His children to come home, and He wants each of us to be the ones who deliver the invitations to the homecoming. That is a primary role that we have in life here and now. This is what God calls us to do and what he strengthens and equips us for.

 

Everyone has to confront lions; so, all are in need of the services of a lion tamer. Those of us who already know Christ personally are the ones who are best equipped to make the introductions. Although pain, suffering, and even death are certainties for all people, in Christ, we can live in the sure knowledge that our lions have been defeated. We also know from experience that the love that wins that victory is available to everyone who needs to be saved from the destructive teeth of evil.

 

 

Proclaim the Truth

The Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed.

2 Timothy 4: 17

 

When you feel weak in the knees, look around and see the glory of the Lord in all of His creation. If the task seems too big for even an entire cast of Superheroes, stretch out your hand in faith and in trust, for the King will send His host of angelic and human warriors to aid in the cause. Should you find yourself in a situation where God seems to be asking the impossible of you, look at the cross, and allow Christ to redefine possibility.

 

It is truly amazing how God chooses to work through flawed vessels such as myself, but He does do this, and He has been doing it from the beginning of mankind’s story on this earth. It is mysterious yet grand that Christ, perfection in flesh, came out of the splendor of heaven to live as one of us. He didn’t just live among us in the manner of a lord visiting the rougher districts of the kingdom; rather, Christ became fully human so that He felt as we do and suffered like we do; He even died painfully at the hands of people. Still, my Lord remained the unblemished and victorious ruler of the universe, and sin and death no longer hold dominion here.

 

God has granted to us His own continual presence in the Spirit of Christ. He is in us and in our world in a way that is total and completely involved. There is no place on this earth that the Lord does not claim as His own territory. So, when He sends us there, the Lord is close by our side. As we engage the daily struggle, He is already holding our hands aloft in celebration of His victory. Jesus has done it all before us; yet, He still wants us to trust Him enough to take steps into places that are dimly lit and unknown to our hearts. He wants us to have enough faith to look into the mouth of the dragon without counting the teeth, speak up boldly of the love of Christ that saves the lost, and rejoice as He transforms the horror of sin into the beautiful child that was His creation plan.