Recently our family took a walk together and along the path were some animals, including goats and sheep, and a little lamb. I love the time with them enjoying the simple moments like this.
A few days after our walk I came across a picture of a lion and a lamb. With Easter on the horizon, for some reason that day the picture hit me in a way that seeing these two animals together hadn't hit me before. For the the first time I saw Jesus as the lamb and the lion. I knew that Jesus was both, lion and lamb, but I still thought of Him more as a lamb. When I would think of Him walking into Jerusalem, towards his fate on the cross I saw a lamb. On this day though I saw that it took the courage of a lion to get onto that donkey to go to Jerusalem. Yes, Jesus is gentle, innocent and pure as a lamb is and He did sacrifice His life for you and for me to have a relationship with God. But that isn't the whole story. Jesus is also strong and courageous like a lion to willingly come face to face with fear, public shaming, and death.
With my eyes opened now to this, it made me think about how we are to be both lamb and lion to. If we are called to be followers of Christ and be imitators of Him, then we are to be gentle, innocent and pure like the lamb while also being strong and courageous and willing to face hard things, like Jesus did.
As we sit with this truth of Jesus being both lion and lamb, I invite you to join me to...
pause. breathe. pray.™
Let's take a moment to ask ourselves, are we more lion or lamb naturally? For me I am more naturally a lamb and need to live more courageously like a lion these days.
How about you?
As we head towards Palm Sunday, may we take time to give thanks to Jesus for His strength and courage that day as He rode into Jerusalem. May we pray that we will follow His example and be a lamb when needed, and a lion when needed so that we are a reflection to others of His strong character, trusting that God is with us every step of the way, as Jesus did.
For more encouragement, LISTEN to this week's NEW EPISODE of the Pause. Breathe. Pray. ™ Podcast. I pray these messages encourage you and you have a blessed day, friend.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,
for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
- Joshua 1:9