THE LION OR THE LAMB by Yvonne M. Morgan Everyone feels differently about rainy days and thunderstorms. I enjoy an occasional gray, rainy day. As I sit here writing, I hear the thunder rumble off in the distance. The patter of a gentle rain delights my soul as it nourishes the spring flowers. A dreary day is a perfect time to stay indoors and enjoy a nice cup of steaming tea. But this is springtime in Oklahoma. So, I watch the weather to see if the storm will strengthen. I listen for the chirp of my weather alarm to alert me to any severe storms that might approach the house. A gentle storm can become dangerous quickly around here. And tornado sirens can send us scrambling into our storm shelters for safety. Or maybe into the street to watch the storm develop, but that is not recommended. Gentle rain showers can become a roaring storm in the blink of an eye. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7 NIV)
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With the warming weather, spring is just around the corner. I see the telltale signs that Easter is also approaching. The shelves are stocked with Easter baskets, candy, and stuffed toys like chicks or lambs. Seeing these makes me realize that we enjoy thinking about Jesus as the Lamb of God, especially at Easter. And many verses depicted Him in the same way. Even Isaiah 53:7 talks about Jesus going to the cross like a lamb led to His slaughter on the cross. But, sometimes, these descriptions lull us into seeing Him only as cute and gentle. We must remember that Jesus is also the Lion of Judah in Revelations 5:5 (NIV); “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’” I love the biblical picture that shows a lamb lying down with a lion beside it. Do you prefer to view Jesus as the lamb or as the lion? I often think we like to see Him only as a harmless lamb. We want to see Jesus as gentle and meek, full of love for everyone. But, the picture of God as a roaring lion scares us like the Oklahoma severe weather scares people. We prefer to see a gentle Jesus full of love and goodwill.
