Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
One day we took our two teenage grandchildren for the day to a nearby Lion Park. Because the children were out from Kazakhstan where their parents were missionaries, we prayed before we left, "Lord, please help us see some amazing sights."
One lioness rose to her feet and let out an ear-splitting roar. She was way bigger than she looked when she was lying down, but we were safely in our car. I got a couple of lovely photos before she filled my viewfinder as she strolled past my window. I turned my camera to the other two who were watching with slight curiosity.
I felt the car bounce, and thought the kids were moving position to see better. Next thing, I heard my grand-daughter say in a hushed voice, "Oh. My. Goodness!"
I turned round, and snatched in a breath as my eyes fastened on the two bluest eyes I have ever seen. Staring in the back window of our small hatchback, the lioness's nose was pressed to the window as she studied the contents of the car. Looking for a quick snack?
I later learned from my son-in-law and daughter in their car behind us, that the animal had mounted our car. Her front paws were on the top of the car as she leaned down to peer in the window.
She spotted our rear-view window wipers and gripped them with her teeth. She snapped them back and forward, intrigued by her new toy.
"Time to get out of here," I muttered to my husband. "Otherwise we won't have any wipers."
He cautiously put the car into gear and started to move forward. The car lurched, then stopped. The lioness didn't want us to leave yet. She had grabbed our bumper with her teeth and was holding us back! My husband revved the engine and managed to tear the vehicle away from the lioness and make for the gate.
Once both cars were out of the enclosure, we pulled over to inspect the damage. Neat puncture holes were the only proof of our close encounter. There were no scratch marks, so she obviously hadn't been attacking the car. As for what could have been the photo of the year? I was too aware of those blue eyes staring over my grandchildren's shoulders to get a photo.
Lions can look docile and loving. They look just like big puddy-cats, which of course they are. Very big puddy-cats! Tourists to South Africa tend to forget they are predators, and there have been some terrible tragedies when people have got out of their cars and approached them in the wild. If we had got out of our car, or even wound down a window, I probably wouldn't be writing this today!
The verse at the top warns us of our spiritual enemy, and it's not a warning to take lightly. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Note to self: Be careful how you pray before going to a lion park!
All went well for the first part of the day. Then we drove into a small enclosure secured by double electrified gates. Three white lionesses lay dosing under a tree. They raised their heads and examined our car with expressions of boredom.
All went well for the first part of the day. Then we drove into a small enclosure secured by double electrified gates. Three white lionesses lay dosing under a tree. They raised their heads and examined our car with expressions of boredom.
We drove alongside them, and I started to take photographs through the closed window. Note to reader: Never open your windows when you stop in a game park!
One lioness rose to her feet and let out an ear-splitting roar. She was way bigger than she looked when she was lying down, but we were safely in our car. I got a couple of lovely photos before she filled my viewfinder as she strolled past my window. I turned my camera to the other two who were watching with slight curiosity.
I felt the car bounce, and thought the kids were moving position to see better. Next thing, I heard my grand-daughter say in a hushed voice, "Oh. My. Goodness!"
I turned round, and snatched in a breath as my eyes fastened on the two bluest eyes I have ever seen. Staring in the back window of our small hatchback, the lioness's nose was pressed to the window as she studied the contents of the car. Looking for a quick snack?
I later learned from my son-in-law and daughter in their car behind us, that the animal had mounted our car. Her front paws were on the top of the car as she leaned down to peer in the window.
She spotted our rear-view window wipers and gripped them with her teeth. She snapped them back and forward, intrigued by her new toy.
"Time to get out of here," I muttered to my husband. "Otherwise we won't have any wipers."
He cautiously put the car into gear and started to move forward. The car lurched, then stopped. The lioness didn't want us to leave yet. She had grabbed our bumper with her teeth and was holding us back! My husband revved the engine and managed to tear the vehicle away from the lioness and make for the gate.
Once both cars were out of the enclosure, we pulled over to inspect the damage. Neat puncture holes were the only proof of our close encounter. There were no scratch marks, so she obviously hadn't been attacking the car. As for what could have been the photo of the year? I was too aware of those blue eyes staring over my grandchildren's shoulders to get a photo.
Lions can look docile and loving. They look just like big puddy-cats, which of course they are. Very big puddy-cats! Tourists to South Africa tend to forget they are predators, and there have been some terrible tragedies when people have got out of their cars and approached them in the wild. If we had got out of our car, or even wound down a window, I probably wouldn't be writing this today!
The verse at the top warns us of our spiritual enemy, and it's not a warning to take lightly. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
The devil, Satan, can also be stealthy. Make that sneaky. From a distance, he doesn't look dangerous, but as he gets closer, he turns out to be a lot bigger than you first thought. Keep your spiritual windows closed! Don't allow him any opening. Stay in your vehicle, secure with Jesus in the driving seat. And when you sense Satan's approach, get out of the situation.
Whew, what an experience. But what a great analogy!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rita. Yes, it's funny. We were not in the least afraid, but when we got out and saw the damage to the car, we realised we had really been in the presence of a dangerous beast! How often that's true of our spiritual enemy. It's one thing when we feel fear--then we take care. It's when we relax and don't sense the danger that we're most at risk.
DeleteShirley, yes wow, what an experience. Lions are such magnificent creatures and fascinating that you've had a first hand experience of what is taking place in the supernatural at any moment in time.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this with us.
Thanks for your comments Ian. See my comment to Rita. It struck me later how easily Satan can "suck us in" when we are not on the alert.
DeleteLoved this Shirley. Wow. I agree with Rita - lovely analogy.
ReplyDeleteWe nearly had a run in with a rhino - it was ambling straight at us, not even aware of us, we tried to start the car and the engine turned over and died. The rhino got such a fright, he snorted and stomped, mercifully our car started on the second try and we left in a hurry!
Oh wow! That would not have been fun. A friend of mine had an argument with a rhino who just didn't like her car parked outside a restaurant on a game farm. He made a terrible mess of it.
DeleteOh my. A bit of a frightening experience. Lions are beautiful animals, until you are looking at their tonsils, and then they are scary. I live near a zoo and have seen the little ones up close, even held and bottle fed a few, but they do grow up and regardless of where they are living they are still wild. You are right, be careful what you pray for.
ReplyDeleteLove this devotional. So true!
ReplyDelete