Snowy Days and Lions

I was out early this morning shoveling the driveway - trying to get a jump on it before it piles up to an immoveable amount. I've learned, as age has crept up on me, that I've got to do stuff in more manageable chunks. So anyway, I'm out in the wind driven snow...face about to freeze off, and am reminded of a book I read a while back. Mark Batterson wrote a book a few years ago entitled, "In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day". In it he tells of one of David's mighty men, Benaiah, and how he killed a lion in a crazy way.

I was reading that Scripture in 2 Samuel 23:20-23 recently and noticed a little phrase that really challenged me. It's in verse 22 and reads, "Such were the exploits of Benaiah...". Did you get that? Such were. It's a statement that seems to say, "yeah, that Benaiah had things like this happen all the time". We only get a snapshot of three of his exploits here; 1. He killed Moab's best two warriors, 2. He took a giant Egyptian's spear and killed him with it, 3. He went into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. I wonder what ELSE he did we don't even know about!

So as I'm reading and thinking on this text and the kind of man Benaiah must have been (it'll be awesome to meet him one day), I sensed God challenge me with a question, "Are you ready to kill lions?". Me, a lion killer? No way, God. But truth is, God destined all of us to be lion killers. None that call Him 'Father' are to be paralyzed by fear. We all have the power to conquer fear, conquer circumstance, conquer what would destroy us.

Remember, there is another lion out there watching for a chance at each of us. "Our enemy is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour". God wants us to chase our enemy into that snowy pit and show him whose boss. Mark says in his book that when we look back, the moments of greatest fear in our lives are also the moments of greatest victory. So, here's to great fear that leads to great victory.

Well, the snow's piling up again. But at least I don't have a snowy pit waiting for me, just a snowy driveway. Grrrrr.

The cave of self-pity

There's an old saying, "Watch out when you think you're riding high on the hog, next thing you know you'll be laying in the pig pen". I'm always mindful that success doesn't breed success. Most of us can attest that we have had incredible mountain top moments in life only to find ourselves in the valley soon afterward. It is only as we stay connected to the Lord and His divine plan that we can expect to see His hand in operation in our lives. There is no one who is not susceptible to feelings of abandonment; feelings of purposelessness.

Elijah was arguably one of the greatest of biblical prophets. He is remembered this day for calling fire down on the sacrifice at Mt. Carmel. He put to death all the prophets of Baal, prayed for and received rain, out ran a chariot (busy day). Then he hears a rumor of Queen jezebel's anger and determination to kill him. What does he do? Does he call Israel to the big showdown? Does he head to the palace to show here what's what? No. He runs and hides in a cave and must hear the Lord ask, "What are you doing here?"

It's a funny question you must admit. God knew what Elijah was doing there - He knows every man's heart. He wanted Elijah to consider it. He put to death 450 men, but feared the wrath of one woman.

Before we throw Elijah under the bus, let's look at ourselves. How much whining do we do? How much cave time have we had lately? How often do we go from overcomer to overcome? Do not lose heart. Keep His desire and passion before you. Keep calling down fire, praying for change and out running chariots. As we do these things we will keep ourselves from the cave of self-pity.