The lion living in an unsafe world
We live in a world that is not only unsafe but also full of unsafe people. Unsafe people are troubled and capable of creating an unsafe environment, as well as causing harm on other people. It could be physical, emotional, spiritual or otherwise. Our media is saturated with events relating to terrorism, wars, devastating natural calamities, rapes, kidnapping and murder etc. Divorce and separation has become so rampant that most children do not know their fathers. Thank God for DNA. The rich has continually exploited the poor so much so that they become poorer; widows are cheated, frustrated and less privileged left to feel the pains of inequality in life. We see flood, blood, locust, lions in dens, walls collapsing and massacres on battlefields as well as suicide bombing of our cities and moving equipments. The scenario here is a common phenomenon.
History reveals that the children of Israel were being suppressed and victimized by Roman rulers and the Pharisees. The Scribes suppressed and cheated commoners who came to perform religious duty in the temple. They appeared in long robes and occupy front seat in temples and festivities. They said long prayers in pretense, but have no heart for God. The commoners had no voice to speak for them. Their only consolation was to cry to God Almighty for help; a means of deliverance from the hands of the suppressors and to lead them to war against neighbors who conspired against them. They cried unto God and God answered them and sent His son – Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. In the same vein, our world today needs deliverance from the societal menace causing unsafe environment and world. What saves small fish in the hand of big fish?
In a book titled “Safe Places – finding security in the passages of your life,” Arterburn, Minirth and Meier said, “those who have been in unsafe places for long period of time lose sight of what it means to feel normal or to have a normal life. Indeed some people have been in unsafe places all their lives and they truly do not know that other people live and feel any differently from the ways they do.” Yes, indeed many people live in unsafe places and do not know it. Like the Israelites in the land of Egypt, they could not notice their suffering anymore. They started enjoying their suffering and cared little or nothing about freedom. They walked on eggshells in fear of becoming object of abuse. Yet daily they were slapped, yelled at, molested and ripped off. In this 21st century, a great number of people know no freedom. They live under spells, terror, wars and spiritual bondage that even natural resources are crying loudly against the injustice, greed, pollutions and manipulations in our world. Unsafe people who got to the top by political manipulations and end up creating unsafe environments rule our world. Many of them usurped power by force and rule mischievously. They are afraid to vacate the top seats of governance. While in power their atrocities stirred at them and cry for attention. They are insensitive to public outcry. Most of them create unsafe places and fight illusions; they call black, white and red, blue; even their shadows frighten them.
Some of us work in organizations that the management is dictatorial, manipulative, secretive and abusive. As long as these top executives occupy the hot seats of power, nothing will ever change. They bore hallmarks of treachery and danger. Nobody or union would ever voice opinions or got the nerve to challenge their decisions because of fears of being witch-hunt or made a scapegoat and eliminated. In most marriages the lives therein are described as “hell on earth”. Outside they look like wonderful couples but inside they are contents living lonely together. Their homes are very unsafe and their relationship insecure. They live an “every person on your own” lifestyle and feel threatened at every turn. Here, two captains run the family ship; they experienced conflict and crises. The children sense the tensions and begin to manifest behavioral problems that the parents can’t resolve. Children raised in unsafe homes manifest abnormal behavior at home, school and in public places. Parents wonder where their up springs obtained such behavior pattern but fail to look inward. The lost of a home is the greatest calamity that befalls any marriage. As long as couples live in unsafe atmosphere and homes, the children will be raised insecure, abusive and unloved. The by-product of unsafe marriages is unsafe home and children. Healthy people would rather be alone than live in a sick relationship. Both couples in an unsafe marriage may claim to save their marriage for the sake of their children but only to realize they saved it for their own sake. How long will you continue to hide under some cover? You need the Lion in your relationship; He’s also the Prince of peace.
Some people go to Churches but are not part of the church. The churches are only as safe as the people in them. “Unsafe people create unsafe places, and a significant number of churches are led by or have members in leadership positions who are unsafe people”. For whatever reason, some people stay in churches just to maintain status quo and sense of belonging yet they are alienated. They are neither speaking out nor stop attending. They become round peck in a square hole. They go to church as a religious obligation but are not glad or pleased therein. Their presence in the church is just to show face and may not be interest in going-on. Sometimes they feel reluctant to attend church functions but are not comfortable to quit. In some churches love and oneness is preached but when you venture to look inside, you see and perceive disunity and segregation. Prejudice is boldly seen on the faces of members. The same happens when a church preaches marital purity yet the church hierarchy looks the other side when a rich member snatches another member’s spouse. He/she may be in pastor’s supporters group. It’s no surprise that people flock into safe Church as if it were a strong shelter in a stormy night.
The same thing happens with family unions. Most cultural union or town meetings solicit for membership, but first time attendance would convince a doubting Thomas that there are divisions and in fighting for nothing; constructive observations are misconstrued for challenging the boss in power. Some appear a gathering of tugs of the same gang. They attack any body that opposes their mundane interest. Some people within the leadership maintained outbursts that are inconsequential with the mission statement. When leaders in organizations fail to recognize that their squabbles at the top have a bearing on the morality and the well being of the organization, they’ve failed.
It’s in the midst of these insanities, uncertainties and calamities that the world cries out to God for intervention. The God that sits in mercy seats asked, ‘who shall go to save the world filled with people who have freewill to do whatever they want? The songwriter says, “There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin than the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” Again the book of Acts revealed that there is no other name except for the name of Jesus through whom man can gain salvation. God decided to volunteer his one and only begotten son to come and save the world. He would be born by a virgin in a low estate and from unpopular state. But even before He was born some people became skeptical and threatened by his birth, planned to kill Him. Why? They were overtaken by fears of competition and anxieties of loosing their stool.
The Lion may not be the biggest of all animals but is known as the king of the forest. It has great personality and musters a lot of strength not only to protect itself but also its offspring and make its environment safe.
– The coming of the lion was prophesized by early prophets. He came to save his own from sin as well as protect them from enslavement. The lion is the Son of God and the second person in trinity. He came with God’s glory, mercy and full of grace – God’s Kingdom. He came as love to demonstrate God love to us. Jesus was the sweetest gift given to mankind. Mankind could not fully comprehend him yet he was a king who came to save and die for his subjects. His birth, death, and resurrection fulfilled his mission; he was all that the deceased world needed. By his presence God’s kingdom came to us and we experienced His mercies and peace. He turned water into wine at a marriage ceremony in Cana. Before that could go down, he went about feeling the passion of people and healing all manner of diseases. So if that was not enough, he raised three dead people including Mary and Martha’s brother-Lazarus – a friend of Jesus.
That same Jesus rode on a mule into Jerusalem and straight into the temple, to cleanse His father’s house and re-consecrate it. His public speeches became more pronounced and he publicly declared He was the Son of God and Him and His father are one person. The lion laid down his life from the garden of Gethsemane to hillside – called Golgotha, where he was crucified. On the third day the greatest wonder of the world happened. Jesus rose from death and ascended into heaven to be received by the father and crowned as Lord and God. He did not forget his promise to be with us always. He sent his Holy Spirit as his advocate and comforter. This lion is with us every time. He does not forsake us even when we feel less of him or dessert him; his love does not exclude us. We owe him praise, adoration, and supplication as well as thanksgiving.
We join all saints in a song of praise, “come let us adore him for Christ is the Lord.” In him we have protection and freedom to risk and fail, and then risk again until we succeed. In his presence we come to accept the truth of who we are and yet He warmly appreciates us. This God of love and mercy is also the God of justice and righteousness; has no tolerance for evil. His heart is open to welcome and accept us, even as we commemorate his birth and crossover into new beginning of another year. Psalm of David chapter 5 verses 11-12 assures, “But all who finds safety in you will rejoice; they can always sing for joy; protect those who love you; because of you they are truly happy. You bless those who obey you and your love protects them like a shield.” As Moses stopped by the land of Moab with the children of Israel to prepare them towards crossing over, He said, “The Lord your God takes care of this land; His eyes watches over it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year [Deuteronomy. 11:12]; so shall the Lion watch over His own throughout the year. Amen.