A Peaceful Moment with a Lion
“Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” -- John 14:27 (NIV)
The lion walked only a few feet in front of me. Every instinct told me to keep my distance, yet there I was, matching its pace along a dusty trail in Zambia. For a moment, fear gave way to wonder, and one thought filled my mind: Is this what God originally intended for His creation?
Then the fear gripped my heart, and my hands trembled as I stood next to the beast that could kill me in an instant. As I looked down, the lion yawned and closed its eyes, giving me a sense of peace in the situation. I put my fear aside and reached out and stroked its coarse back, still amazed that something so powerful could be so calm. The lion relaxed, and so did I.
Biblical peace isn’t the absence of something frightening; it’s found in the presence of Christ in the middle of the fearful moment.
That moment on our trip brought the words in John 14:27 to mind. I allowed my mind to wander away from the amazing moment God gave us and moved on to the what-ifs of the situation, and that’s when the fear showed up. John reminds us that true peace comes from God alone, and that troubles come along when we take our eyes off Jesus. God’s peace is available to us when we turn away from the world and focus on our Heavenly Father instead of what is causing us fear.
You might wonder how I could find peace standing next to a lion. Well, that brings to mind that the peace of God transcends all our understanding, as Paul mentions in Philippians 4:7. We don’t have to understand His peace; we can just accept it and thank God for it. The peace Christ gives us is a gift unlike anything the world can offer us. So, the next time you are afraid, remember that Christ is with you and He will give you His peace.
Questions for Reflection:
1. Consider all that God has given you in your life. What do you consider to be the greatest gift He has given you?
2. When you need to find peace, how do you seek it?
3. Think of a time that God has given you tremendous peace. If appropriate, share that moment with a friend who might be struggling to find peace in their lives.
