About a month ago I went to serve at a training camp for The World Race. 99 racers had a 10 day journey with the Lord. Growing in intimacy with God, learning how to live in community, and missional living.
While serving them, I was given a word from the Lord. LION.
What does that mean?
“For I am God, and not a man- the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities. They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When He roars, his children will come trembling from the west.”
Hosea 11:9-10
Lion comes roaring in our spiritual journey with raw power, courage, and aggressiveness. He is reckless for us.
Lions represents as great kings.
God knows I have been holding back because of my insecurities. God is roaring for me to come from the west. He wants me to let myself go and fight the good fight. Roaring into peoples lives with His love and compassion.
He didn’t stop there though.
I started to drift away from being in continuous growth with God.
It seems like these past few weeks I have been in constant worry, anxious, lacking in peace, and lacking in strength. I know this because for the past 3 weeks I was not living on the firm foundation of the word of God.
I started to worry about failure. Failure in making sure I have fundraised all the money I need to take my next mission out into the nations.
I have to be honest, failure is tough.
If you know me then you know I am always willing to try different things. Even if I fail, I learn from that mistake and try again.
I learned this quality about me working in the restaurant business.
When I first started out I burnt things (even myself), I served undercooked food, I broke things, and I made terrible judgement calls sometimes. I had to do all these things to learn from my mistakes so that I make sure things go more efficiently.
Next time you encounter failure you need to remember every great thing on this planet is here because the creator learned what did work, but learned more from what did not work.
I know God will provide, I have to be constant reminder that I have to surrender that to Him.
“And were my head lifted up, you hunt me like a lion and again work wonders against me” Job 10:16
A writing of Hezekaih king of Judah after his illness and recovery
“I waited patiently till dawn,
but like a lion he broke all my bones,
day and night you made an end to me.
I cried like a swift or thrush
I moaned like a mourning dove.
My eyes grew weak as I looked into the heavens.
I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!
But what can I say?
He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.
I will walk humbly all my years
Because of this anguish of my soul.
Lord, by such things people live; and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health and let me live.
Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish.
In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction;
You have put all my sins behind your back.
For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise,
those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness.
The living, the living- they praise you, as I am doing today;
parents tell your children about your faithfulness.
The Lord will save me,
and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives
in the temple of the Lord.”
Isaiah 38:13-20
Hezekiah realized that his prayer brought deliverance and forgiveness. His words “the grave cannot praise you” reveal that he was unaware of there blessedness of the future life for those who trust in God. He knew that God had spared his life, so in his poem Hezekiah praises God. He realizes the good that came from his bitter experience.
The next time you have difficult struggles, pray for God’s help to gain something beneficial from it.
Living
Intentional
Optimistic
Nurturer
Lord
Invests
Optical
Neighbor
Learning
Internationally
Outreach
Nations
Lasting
In
Omniscient
Nirvana
