As a kid I loved lions. Still do. In fact my nickname as child was Ryan the Lion. I would let out a ferocious roar almost everywhere I went. I remember Iwas only allowed to trick-or-treat one year and my mom made me a lion costume. It was amazing! When we would go to the zoo as a family, the only place Iwanted to go was the lion enclosure. Lions are beautiful, magnificent, powerful – the King of the Jungle.
I was at an attraction recently with my family that had a mountain lion behind the glass wall. The mountain lion was sleeping. One of my sons starts tobang on the glass wall. When I told him to stop and asked him what was he doing. His said, “Dad, I just wanted to see him do something.”
Much of the way we approach God is like a lion in the zoo.
We want to see Him do something but observe safely behind the glass.
One of the primary reasons we do not encounter God, is we come to God on our own terms. We want to be in control. We want to determine when, where and how.We want to get close enough to have a glimpse but not so close to have to adjust our lives.
It is our desire for control that keeps us from truly encountering God.
Yes we know that God is great. Of course He is all-powerful. We sing the songs and pray the prayers. All the while sitting behind a glass wall thatprotects us – so that we can see him but not fear him; see him but not be moved; see him but not respond.
When the Bible describes encountering God I get the impression that it is much more like coming across a lion in the wild. In fact some of the prophetswould talk about God like a lion. Even Jesus is called the Lion of Judah in the book of Revelation.
A lion in the wild is unrestrained, untamed, and powerful. It is mighty, majestic, fierce and dangerous. In its presence you don’t just feel powerlessness, you are at its mercy and will. You do not impose your will upon him but you respond to hismovements. You are exposed fully before Him. You dare not bang or yell or ask it do a trick. Encountering a lion in the wild, it is not the lion who mustadjust. It is we who must adjust to the lion.
A true encounter with God is like coming across a lion in the wild.
It is impossible to encounter God and not be changed by Him, to not respond.
Everyone who truly encounters God is changed.
My kids and I are reading the Narnia books together. In it C.S. Lewis depicts Jesus as Aslan. One of my favorite parts in The Lion, The Witch and Wardrobeis when Susan ask about Aslan and Mr Beaver responds:
Aslan a man? Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the woods and the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the Sea. Don’t you know who is the King ofBeasts? Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great Lion.”
“Ooh!” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”
“That you will, dearie, and make no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver, “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’reeither braver than most or else just silly.”
“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about being safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
Somewhere along the line we replace the glory of the risen King with Buddy Theology. Buddy Theology is the idea that Jesus is my Best Friend, my BFF. Wehave reduced the King, creator and sustainer of the universe to buddy. Yes it is true that Jesus has called us friend, but he is our sacred friend.
In the Gospel, there is this great juxtaposition: Jesus is both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God. The King in all his glory is also the perfectspotless lamb. The Creator who would leave his throne to suffer and die at the hands of his creation.
Until we sit in the weight of God’s glory we will not rightly appreciate the worth of His grace.
A Lion in the Wild was originally published on August 22, 2016 on hopeawakening.com.
Written By
Ryan Ingram
Lead Pastor, Awakening Church
Ryan Ingram is currently serving as the lead pastor of Awakening Church in San Jose, California. He and his wife, Jenny, planted the church in 2012 with a passion to awaken this generation to new life in Jesus. Ryan leads his church community through teaching and strategic leadership. He graduated from Moody Bible Institute (in Chicago) and attended Moody Theological Seminary. He lives in San Jose with his wife and three children.
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