Walking with Lions

A while back I had an unforgettable experience in Africa. I was at an animal park outside Gweru, Zimbabwe. One of their activities is what they call walking with lions. Early in the morning we went through a brief orientation and then were met by three young lions. No cage. No leash. We were walking through the African bush with these young lions as they looked for dinner. Yes, I know… what was I thinking?

As we walked through the bush, one of the lions sat down on its hind legs and went on “point” much like a bird dog will do. A herd of impala were nearby. We stopped. The impala were fixed on the one lion (and us). The other two lions kept going and then turned into the impala, slowly stalking into a flanking position. It was very impressive. As the lions approached, the impala became nervous and decided that they were too close. They quickly took flight to another area. The lions did not pursue these nimble creatures.

Our guide explained that the lions are patient hunters that will stalk a herd like this for a couple days. As the lions become more familiar to the herd, they begin letting them get closer and closer, letting down their guard. At that point, a short burst of speed from the lions is all it takes to overpower the closest prey. I was reminded of this today as I read 1 Peter 5:8 Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour… Our greatest vulnerability is rarely the big frontal assault from Satan. We see that coming and recognize it for what it is. His greatest weapon against us is subtle. We allow things into our life that seem harmless at the time, but slowly desensitize us to their harmful effects. We must remain self controlled, not allowing sin (no matter how harmless it may seem) to have a place in our lives. And then we must be alert. Satan wants to see the children of God fall. Nothing pleases him more. Take a lesson from the impala. When you see him, run.

First thoughts and misgivings

Greetings! I have resisted beginning a blog for some time now. But for some reason I can’t get past the urge to do so. As I have prayed through it, I feel that it is something I am supposed to do. So, here goes!

There are several issues I have with blogs that have kept me from doing this before now.

1. They can be a tremendous source of wasted time. This is a two-fold problem. Some blogs waste time because they are topics of little significance. Other blogs waste time by drawing you into a prolonged discussion distracting you from tasks that have eternal significance.
2. They tend to be forums where people say things that they would never say in a normal conversation or to someone’s face. The aspect of freedom in thought is good, but I have seen too many blogs where hateful venom is spread all over the screen.
3. They tend to be dominated by more one-sided thought. While this is not necessarily bad, there is a general perception people have of bloggers. I have seen too many blogs become sources of division in the areas of politics and religion.

Before you label me a hypocrite, there are some positive aspects of blogging I have observed.

1. They can be forums for discussing important theological issues. Different perspectives can be beneficial in helping to have a better understanding of difficult areas of theology.
2. They can be a source of encouragement to people. This is my hope, that what I am discovering in God’s word is an encouragement to you to live stronger each day in Christ’s service.
3. It can be a continuation of discussions beyond Sunday & Wednesday. Church in the US has become way to scheduled and departmentalized. We tend to treat it like soccer practice, trips to the mall, piano lessons, etc… God doesn’t want a couple slots on our calendar. He wants our lives. My hope is that this forum is one additional point getting people thinking about their faith through the week.
4. For me, it will be a source of accountability. This will become a small part of my morning ritual following spending time in God’s Word.

As I begin, I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 4:20 – For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power. Paul had been chastising the Corinthians for their misplaced value in rhetoric and stylistic communication over substance. I fear that blogs at times may not be much different. While there is nothing inherently wrong with skillful communication, there is a problem when it is not accompanied by action. This was the problem that the Corinthian church was having. The result was division within the church.

I welcome your thoughts on these things.
Blessings!