The Bible recounts some interesting stories of lions.
They are interesting, not simply because they are stories of animals, but
because there are things in connection with them from which we may draw some
very striking lessons.
We all remember the story of Daniel...how he was
cast into the den of lions, and how during the long watches of the night he
sat there in their den unharmed.
What was expected to be the tragedy of his
life proved to be his most glorious victory.
The expected triumph of his
enemies was turned into their utter defeat and Daniel, stronger and more
courageous than ever, came forth to continue his service to God.
Samson too had an experience with a lion. As he was
going along the road one day he met a lion, and it attacked him.
He had no
weapons...yet he met it courageously.
We are told that "The Spirit of the LORD
came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as
he might have torn a young goat."
Some time later he was passing that way
and found that a swarm of bees had entered the dried carcass of the lion and
made their abode there, and he took of the honey and went on his way.
In the thirteenth chapter of 1 Kings we find another lion
story.
Here a prophet sent of God went to Samaria and prophesied as God had
commanded him, and according to the commandment he started back on his way
to Judea.
God had told him not to eat or drink there, but to go back
immediately by a different way from that by which he came.
He started to
obey, but sat down to rest by the wayside.
While he was here, another
prophet came and persuaded him to go back and dine with him.
Then, as he
went upon his way, a lion met him and slew him.
The lions of these stories may be likened to our
trials.
We meet trials every now and then in life, and some of them
seem very much like lions.
They seem very threatening and very dangerous.
Sometimes we try to run away from a trial, but as surely as we do, we meet
another in the pathway in which we go.
We are certain to have trials. The important thing is
that we meet them properly.
Some people imagine that if they live as they
should...that they will not have trials.
But trials often come, when it is no fault
of ours.
Daniel was not thrown into the lions' den because he had not lived
right or because he had been unfaithful in something.
No, it was his
faithfulness that resulted in his meeting the lions.
It will be that way in our lives.
If we are true and
loyal to God, that very loyalty is sure to bring us trials sometimes.
Daniel
had his choice in the matter.
He could have been disloyal and escaped the
lions...but he chose rather to be loyal and take the full consequences,
whatever they might be.
God wants you and me to dare to be Daniels
too.
He does not want us to swerve an inch from the truth in order to evade
any sort of trial.
If we are true, and as a result of that trueness a great
trial like being thrown into a den of lions comes upon us, and every earthly
hope seems shut off, and there is no help from anywhere...then what shall we
do?
Despair?
Ah, no!
God will send his angel and shut the lion's mouth for
us, just as he did for Daniel. Dare to be true.
God will stand by you even
in the most trying and desperate hour.
It was not a test of his standing true, that brought
Samson face to face with the lion.
He met the beast just by accident.
He
got into the trouble unwittingly.
He had no expectation of it whatever...but
the first thing he knew, he was face to face with it.
That is just the way
it happens with us sometimes...we get into a trial without any seeming reason
for it; we are not expecting anything of the kind.
If the prophet in Samaria had gone in the way that
God commanded him...then he would not have met the lion that slew him.
It was
his disobedience that caused the trouble.
Sometimes when we are in trials,
we realize that it is our own fault that we are tried.
Sometimes we may be
disobedient, sometimes we may be careless, sometimes it may be this or
that...but whatever it is, we realize that it is our own fault.
That makes the
trial harder to bear.
But however trials come, whatever is their cause...we must
meet them.
We have no choice in the matter.
The important thing is to meet
them right.
Daniel knew that he had done right and pleased God;
and, furthermore, he met his trial with a calm peace and full assurance that
God would take care of him, and God did take care of him, and he came
through the trial.
He was peaceful through the trial and triumphant after
it, because God was his helper.
Someone has said that our trials make or mar us.
This is true.
Either we come out of them stronger than we went in or we come
out of them weaker.
We have either joy or sorrow from them.
We should meet
our trials as Samson met the lion.
Face them boldly.
Do not run or shrink.
If you seem to have no adequate weapon to use against them, trust in God and
meet them boldly anyway.
That is the way Samson did, and do you remember
what happened?
Why, after a while he got honey out of the carcass.
Do you want honey out of your trials?
You would rather
have that than bitterness.
Well, you may have the honey if you will face the
trial and overcome it.
Conquer in the name of Christ.
Do not whimper or
whine.
Do not lament or murmur.
Do not fear or tremble.
Face your trials
boldly, and the Spirit of the Lord will come mightily upon you as it did
upon Samson, and you will conquer.
And then, ah, it is then that the
sweetness will come...after you have mastered the trial, in the days that
follow, sweetness will come, and you will bless God that he ever permitted
you to be so severely tried.
Conflict must always precede victory.
The lion must be
killed before the bees can build the honeycomb in the carcass.
So face your
trials boldly and overcome them.
Then you may taste the sweets of victory.
This is the only way, and you are not too weak to take this way.
God has
promised that he will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able to
bear.
If you will believe it and do your part...then God will do his, and you
will triumph.
~Charles Naylor~
