Lions are Nearby!

A friend of mine enjoys traveling to Africa and going on safaris.  He has been there many times.  His stories are better than fiction!

I remember him telling about a "close call" several years ago while on a lion safari. Traveling along in a small pickup, the safari guide suddenly smacked the top of the cab signalling the driver to stop.  In a low voice he said, "Lions are nearby."  Though approximately 300 yards away, they could make out the top part of a male lion's head. Talk about an adrenalin rush!  The lion disappeared for a few minutes and then reappeared about 100 yards away.  He stood broadside and roared.  The safari guide rushed the hunter to get into position and take the shot.

Later, the guide apologized for rushing my friend's shot.  The urgency was due to a single fact about lions. From a crouched position a lion can cover a hundred yards in about 4.5 seconds!  Not much time to squeeze off a calm round!

I don't know how much first century Christians knew about lions, but they knew enough to get the message Peter conveyed in 1 Peter 5:8:

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

During the ride back to base camp, the safari guide educated the group about lions. He talked about how keenly they can smell and see.  They can tell if prey has been in an area a good while after it has vacated the area. They can smell a wounded or dying animal from a considerable distance and track it.  Their eyes are large and very capable of spotting prey at night with very little sky light.  They rarely rush their prey.  They stalk them and move into the most advantageous position before making their move.

Peter's imagery is accurate and timely as it describes what is true of life in the spiritual domain.

If this was the only verse on the Accuser of God's people (the Satan) that we had in the New Testament, it would be enough to remind us to be "vigilant."

Peter does not elaborate on how or when he prowls.  He just states it as a fact and exhorts us to stand on alert.

Peter goes on to say, "But resist him firm in your faith." (1 Peter 5:9)

A wildebeest, gazelle, or any other prey that falls under attack by a lion has little to no chance of getting away safely.  This is not true in the spiritual domain!  Our attacker can be resisted.  We are not at his mercy. James says: "7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

That's a great promise!

We need both reminders.  Temptation, sin, evil - they are real.  Paul said our struggle is not against "flesh and blood but....." (Ephesians 6:12).  The last thing we can afford to be in life is naive about the battle ground we live on every day.  Battles come in many forms.  Staying sharp and alert is first order business.  And, the good news is that whatever Satan brings against us we can resist and defeat through God's help.

Walk this week in strength, peace and wisdom...and pay attention to what's moving in the grass.

Father, give us clarity of mind and heart so that we can be vigilant to the schemes of Satan.  Thank you for providing us with the weapons of truth, wisdom and strength when the evil one comes against us.  Thank you for Jesus who has defeated the reign of evil and death and who lives to make intercession for us.  Amen.

Randy Daugherty
Stephenville, Texas