The Lion Roars

"I will not carry out my fierce anger,

nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim.

For I am God, and not man--

the Holy One among you.

I will not come in wrath.

They will follow the LORD;

he will roar like a lion.

When he roars,

his children will come trembling from the west.

They will come trembling

like birds from Egypt,

like doves from Assyria.

I will settle them in their homes,"

declares the LORD.

Hosea 11:9-11

The boy had everything he needed: a family that loved him, a soft pillow on which to lay his head, a caring father who taught him the skills needed for him to succeed as a man, regular, delicious meals enjoyed around the table.  His life was complete.  Or so it looked to be on the outside.  Inside, however, he felt discontent and restless.  He wanted more than this ordinary, boring life.  He wanted to see the world, live adventures and experience all that the world had to offer.  

That fateful day, early in the morning, he made his decision.  Approaching his father, he rehearsed the speech in his mind.  He knew his father would not approve of him receiving his inheritance early, but he had made a good case to try to persuade him.  "Father, I appreciate everything you have done for me.  You have taught me well and I am ready to make my own way in the world.  I would like to receive my inheritance."

His father stood quietly for a few moments, eyes closed, hands clasped behind his back.  "Your request is granted.  Go in peace and find your dreams, my son.  I love you. . .and I'm praying for you."

I am like the prodigal son in so many ways.  I want more than what God has so generously given to me.  I don't want to wait for the blessing.  I think I have a better plan.  But like the father in this story, God takes me back when I have come to the end of myself and realize how much I need Him.  He rejoices when I come to Him, realizing that I can't live without Him.

The time has come for me to return to the Lord.  He is roaring. . .am I listening?

I Have Run Away

Maybe He didn't really mean what I thought He said.  At least that's the thought the young man comforted himself with as he fled. He couldn't have really meant for me to go to that evil place and actually speak out against their wicked deeds!  They are a ruthless people and would kill me on the spot!  God wouldn't put me in the position. . . would He?

And so he ran, travelling in the opposite direction of God's directive in the hopes that if he got far enough away, God would forget, let it slide, or maybe even change His mind.  I'm just not the courageous type. . . I'm not ready to die.

Jonah is not the only one who runs away from God.  I do it all the time.  There are things I know God wants me to do, people I know God wants me to befriend, or habits I know God wants me to give up.  Stubbornly, I turn my head away from Him, hoping He'll forget, let it slide, or maybe even change His mind.  If I just pretend I didn't know, maybe He'll let me off the hook.

Like with Jonah, God has a way of bringing me around to face the Truth.   "I am with you always. . . .My power is made perfect in weakness. . . obedience is better than sacrifice."  I can be assured that God will get His way.  Either I can willingly take part in His work, or I can spend my time rotting away in the belly of a whale!

The lion is roaring, calling me back from where I've fled.

I Have Gone Elsewhere for Help

They were left alone, unprotected.  While the rest of their people were taken captive to a foreign land, they were left at home, exposed and vulnerable.  They were afraid for their lives as threats arose from all sides.  Then came the message from God: stay put and I'll protect you, I will bless you and build you up.  Don't be afraid of those who seem so menacing.  I will save you and deliver you from their hands.  Stay right where you are.  (Jeremiah 42:9-12) 

But their fear overcame them.  The Pharaoh of Egypt was strong and he would protect them, this they could see with their own eyes.  God's promises were all well and good, but how could they trust Jeremiah the prophet to have really delivered a message from God?  What if he was wrong?  What if it was just wishful thinking? They decided that he was probably lying so that they'd be tricked into captivity as well.  No, they were sure it was time to abandon their homeland and flee to the security of Egypt.  

So they fled to the forbidden land . . .but punishment was coming.

There are times when I, too, look to other sources for help instead of relying on the One who promised to provide for all my needs.  I depend on people, available resources and my own common sense to help me solve my problems.  I rarely turn to God for guidance or wisdom.  Instead, I do as the world around me does: I pull myself up by my bootstraps and carry on.  As my husband is fond of saying, I "suck it up!"  

But God doesn't want me to fend for myself or become independent.  Instead, I am to look to Him as my Father to give me what I need.  Sometimes that means He'll send others to fill a gap, other times I may need to use a government program, or He may provide an opportunity to work for it.  But I'll never know how He wants me to handle a situation unless I talk to Him and give Him the authority to make the decision for me. My life is not my own, I was bought with a price and belong to Him. 

The lion is roaring, calling me back from where I have gone to for help.

I Have Been Carried Off

She looked so beautiful; He knew he shouldn't look, but he couldn't bear to not.  Such beauty should not be hidden!  I must have her.  And so began the obsession.  He lost all semblance of control as he considered things never before regarded.  I just want to talk to her. . . maybe she could come to the palace. . . . perhaps she could be mine. . . . Then came the deceit, the betrayal, the treachery, the murder.

David was carried off by the passions of his heart.  His fleshly desires became ruler of his life.  God no longer mattered; all that was important was that he got what he wanted.  This accurately describes certain times of my life when I put God on the back burner and focused solely on my dreams, my wants and my life.  I knew God was there calling me, but my desires were more important during that time.

Being carried off by sin never ends well.  With David it meant the loss of his son.  It also means the loss of precious time lost with the One who loves me and knows the purpose for which He created me.  There are always consequences to be faced for letting sin rule my life.

The trouble with sin as a master is that I become insensitive to it's danger. It's like having a boa constrictor for a pet: it is beautiful, but always capable of destroying me at any moment.  When I give myself over to sin,  I become comfortable with the idea of living in a state of disobedience to God.  I don't mind offending Him with my actions, attitudes and language.  Instead, I am carried away by my own flesh and living in a state of constant danger.

The lion is roaring, he is calling me back from where sin has carried me away.

It is never too late to return to God.  He is waiting to be an intimate part of my life, if only I will let Him in! When He roars, it is time for me to return to Him from where I have fled, to come back to Him as the source of my help, and to turn away from the sin I have embraced.  Then I can trust God to settle me into the life He has prepared for me to live!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will return to the Lord when I hear Him roar.

How do I ignore His beckoning call?

When do I pretend I don't know what He wants from me, preferring instead to follow my own dreams?