The Lamb & The Lion

This morning in Sunday School, Carl Duso shared a poem and scripture about Mary and her lamb. I wish I'd brought it home to share the whole thing with you, but...I didn't.

But the main thing that stuck out to me was one of the last things mentioned. Revelation 5:5-12 was quoted. These verses talk about Jesus as the Lion of Judah and as the Lamb. The thought that hit me was that while Jesus was here on earth, he was the sacrificial lamb. He submitted to God for His purpose of redeeming the world from it's sin. He was the fulfillment of every sacrifice ever slain for sin in the Old Testament.

But he's also the Lion. Think about a lion. He is the king of the jungle. He fears no one. His roar is beyond imagination---it makes your insides quake! The lion devours it's prey. He's big, and quick, and muscular. He's constantly on the alert.

I sat there and thought on that. The Lion. I don't understand how it works, but in God's economy of things, Jesus is still the Lamb, even in heaven. But he's also the Lion--ready to destroy his enemy. He's fearless...He's overcome...He will devour. He must be ready to pay Satan back for every evil thing he's done to His bride. We're not talking about a docile lion here! This is the Lion of Judah standing at heaven's gate. I picture this lion roaring--and ready to bust out of heaven to redeem his bride--once again--from a sinful world. The Lion of Judah will prevail. And he's my bridegroom. The baby in the manger is who he was.

Doesn't it frustrate you when a mother lives in the past? Her children may be grown, but she always wants to pull out the baby pictures to show you who they were. That's kind of what we do at Christmas. We pull out Jesus' baby pictures...but we never allow him to be who he's become! Wouldn't you be offended at your next birthday party if all anyone could talk about was your birth? Hello? I'm 54!! (And Jesus is a little older than me...) I think this Christmas I'm going to concentrate on who Jesus is now...my bridegroom who is ready to come for me and conquer my world!