Joel 3
Trust the Roaring Lion!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, August 30. Please join me in wishing a happy birthday to Jeremy Fischer, Justin McGuire, Jackson Hibbert, and Lexi Laker.
In C. S. Lewis’ allegorical world of Narnia, Lewis portrayed Jesus as a roaring lion. This idea did not come from his own genius, though he was one; rather, it was inspired by the Word of God. The Lord roaring like a lion is the concluding image of the prophet Joel, and it is the opening image of Amos’ prophetic work (Amos 1:2). In Joel 3:15-16, the prophet describes the coming day of the Lord, “The sun and moon grow dark and the stars lose their brightness. The Lord roars from Zion and utters His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth tremble. But the Lord is a refuge for His people and a stronghold to the sons of Israel.” In this passage, Joel described the tension of the people’s faith in God as their sovereign Lord. In Lewis’ 1950 classic, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, he captured this tension for us, specifically in the dialogue where the children first learned that Aslan, the King of Narnia, was a lion. When Lucy asked if Aslan was safe, Mr. Beaver told her of course not, he’s a lion, but he is good! God is good, but He is not always safe!
This juxtaposition was expressed by Job during his suffering, “Though God slay me, I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15). When facing suffering at a personal or national level, we are invited to trust the sovereign grace of God, believing “He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). While this faith perspective doesn’t remove our suffering, nor does it guarantee that everything will work out in our situation, it hides us in the Lord, who is our refuge and stronghold (Joel 3:16; Nahum 1:7).
Seize the moment and trust the goodness of God, even when He’s roaring like a lion.
God bless you!
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YOUTUBE:
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