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Thursday, March 1
Sneaking. Craftily.
Slithering through the underbrush, like a fat snake.
Gingerly touching his paws to the tall, dry grasses.
His movements, almost imperceptible, as if in extreme slow motion. So as not to make his prey aware of his presence.
Eying his victim. Poised to pounce.
A magnificent creature, which lion considers a delectable morsel for his lunch, stands nearby, unsuspecting. Leisurely nibbling on grass and sipping from the stream, satisfying its cravings. Neglectful to its surroundings, distracted from being vigilant.
Unfortunately, its inattention prompted its demise.
There was another lion; his name was Clarence. You may remember him, if you’re old enough. His eyes were crossed. Because of this, he relied on humans for his survival, which made him a friendly and safe lion. He was definitely a big pussycat!
He “acted” in several movies, one being Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion, and in TV programs like Daktari. When he got past his prime, he became even more docile; in fact, he was playful as a kitten and loved people.
I once heard a story about him. When he was no longer needed, some people adopted him and took him into their home. One night when the owners were out, a burglar broke into the house. But as he was about to leave, Clarence wandered in.
He knocked the man down and sat on his chest, wanting to be friends and play. However, the man didn’t know this and was scared stiff. Literally! He couldn’t move a muscle.
When the owners arrived home, they found Clarence still sitting on the man, who was now white as a sheet. After calling the police, the owners told the man that Clarence would not have eaten him. He didn’t have any teeth!
Unfortunately, there is yet another lion. One the Bible tells us about. He isn’t friendly and he isn’t safe like Clarence. He has a full set of teeth, like the first lion above, one that prowls around, “looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)
This lion is sneaky. Crafty. Gingerly tiptoeing around. He slithers through the world, like a fat snake. He eyes his prey, his victims. Ready to pounce at any moment.
We are his prey, his delectable lunch. This lion comes...
* to steal our joy, our praise, the word of God out of our hearts.
* to kill our faith, our confidence, our trust in the Lord.
* to destroy our fellowship with Jesus.
Sometimes, we disregard living a holy life. Satisfying our worldly cravings blinds us to fulfilling our true needs, our spiritual needs. Busyness sidetracks us, distracting us from being vigilant to more important things. Trials can sideswipe us, knocking us off God’s path.
When we allow these things to happen, we will either draw closer to God or pull away from Him. If we pull away, we will neglect our time with the Lord and His Word. We will lack the supply of all we need to function properly each day and the enemy’s tactics will be to our defeat.
You can take away that ol’ lions teeth and silence his growl. Because of your position in Christ, your righteousness in God, you possess the confidence and boldness to stand up to that assassin.
What did Jesus tell the seventy disciples? “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy.” (Luke 10:19 NLT)
You have the same privilege. You can use the Name of Jesus and His authority to stand against your opponent. Keep in mind: he’s already a defeated foe!
The Bible tells us...
* “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8 NKJV)
* “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 NIV)
* “Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.” (1 Peter 5:9 NLT)
* “Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].” (Eph. 4:27 Amp)
Just remember: The hollowness of hell’s hunger hankers to be filled with God’s delectable morsels – His children. If you hear its stomach growl, watch out!
Therefore, stay alert! That ol’ enemy of yours is prowling after you. Don’t let the lion knock you down, sit on your chest, and growl in your face!
Give him your best growl back!
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Hi Lynn, great post and photo of the handsome lion, and the story of Clarence. My favorite lion image is of Aslan. Like God, Aslan is no tame lion :)
Lynn- loved this post. Aslan is like Clarence, so we forget the enemy prowls like a real, in his prime, lion, with sharp-as teeth. Timely reminder- thanks! I got " bitten" 2 weekends ago, and God reminded me not to be too casual about making sure I am protected when I go into my lion's den- my mother's room in an elderly care hospital. [!!] Mary from Ruby.
"Satisfying our worldly cravings blinds us to fulfilling our true needs, our spiritual needs. Busyness sidetracks us, distracting us from being vigilant to more important things. Trials can sideswipe us, knocking us off God’s path." True and convicting.
Hi Lynn - what a beautiful post. Thanks for the reminder to keep our eyes and ears ever tuned in to the works of the evil one and to know that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.
God bless
Tracy
Lynn,
Thanks for sharing about Clarence!
I found you through Ruby for Women. When you have a minute, stop in for a visit!
Amy
Yes, a great reminder about Clarence.I enjoyed your post, Lynn.... a great reminder that our roaring lion is no match for the powerful Lamb of God.
Thanks for a great post Lynn, oh yes, I remember Daktari. I never heard that story about Clarence though...
A good metaphor of what the enemy tries to do.
Thanks so much, Terra! I always loved that story about Clarence. And I agree...Aslan is awesome! So glad you stopped by. Bless you!
Hey, sweet Mary! Yikes! Sorry about the bite! I truly understand about that lion's den. I always appreciate hearing from you. Bless you!
This Mom's Heart...thank you so much for stopping by. I deeply appreciate it. Blessings to you!
Tracy, thank you so much for taking time to read and comment. Makes my heart happy! Bless you!
Hey, Amy! Thanks so much for stopping by. I get over to Ruby but not as much as I'd like. Thanks for the invite! Blessings to you!
You said that right, Dawn! Thanks so much! Always a pleasure to have you here! Blessings to you!
Hey, sweet Marja! That story about Clarence always tickled me. So happy to see you! You always bless me! Blessings in return to you!
This was terrific, Lynn. I remember Clarence and loved "Second Hand Lions" also.
Your post made me think of the way C.S. Lewis depicted Christ as the lion who can protect his pride (us) from the evil one set to devour us.
Very thoughtful post.
I agree with Carol, I think of the Lion of Judah protecting us from the raging lion bent on our destruction. Looking at your picture gave me chills. That lion is indeed intent on his prey. Having seen them in the wild, my admiration for their strength and power went up several notches. I think of David defending his flock from the lion. Not an easy feat. Great post, Lynn. (And I love the story of Clarence. Don't think I ever read or heard of it before.)
Thank you Lynn for reminding us of how the enemy comes in whenever we allow it. Keep our eyes on Jesus, His eyes are always on you.
Lynn:
I do remember Clarence.
Thank you for the reminder that the enemy is prowling around, seeking to devour on his unsuspecting prey.
Blessings,
Joan