Brave Lions

This life we live is not as simple as a bird swaying in the breeze.


It's hard to put anything into words normally.  And to find meaning in anyone else's words are like separate worlds explaining each others culture.   What two people see while looking down from a mountain are fairy tales apart.  Same ending of a desperate need for understanding their joy and a lifetime away from matching each others reasons for it.


Me:
What I find to often to be felt in my heart is like a caged animal.  These are emotions.  The unsuspecting acknowledgement of this animal is normally automatic and sensed before or after most occasions.  Far too often though the inward is acknowledged and kept safely underneath the surface.   To many thoughts of what is going on behind the backdrop happens like a curtain drawn before a play.  And this is where I begin, and where I end.  This is who I am, often someone who is somewhat aware of what action to take or show, but waits.  Some can call this dumb, others a coward and others wise.  I know, though, the Lord has me this way for a reason.


Some people are expressive, others expressive without cause.  Some are simply quiet, and some are quiet because they are found trapped to be otherwise.  I am found somewhere in the quiet spectrum, and rarely found in the expressive.  Like I said, it's hard to put anything into words.  Like a whip giving a lashing, it knows not what it's action creates.  The horse knows full well though.  So does the skin of anyone who's ever experienced its fierce crack.  But the whip is only a whip and never used on itself.  And so often this can be our caged animal.  Fully alive, made aware but lost for it's use.  Like a gift with no direction.  Like a billboard for a free car to all who come, but never saying where to go.


Personal introspection, as to self-observe and give report of conscious inner thoughts, desires and sensations come naturally.  By this no one but self knows.  Extrospection, as to observe things externally from one's self is seen by everyone but self.  The whip knows it moves, but is unaware of its delightful gift.  Just like the caged lion who is unaware of why he is caged.


The thought that often follows far to often and without being spoken or heard, is "why?".   This question comes from a century of questions.  This was the first question the newborn unknowingly asks and the last question the elderly sadly might be thinking.


Why do I have a grasp on a mental process or outward verbal expression, which meets others like vomit or a sweet aroma?  To be honest this is a question far older than we even think about.  Not only did our oldest relatives question their families status, move east, "start fresh", gain personal status, try to answer THEIR own why question or wonder if they were needed "here".


I'll take you to where I believe this "why" began.  And sadly did not stop.


This life we live is not for the answers.


The unavoidable fact or reason where questions are directed to is known usually.  To a friend, a parent, a coworker, a boss or an enemy.  But how often do we realize the question is much deeper than that.  Now to put a point on the map as to where the question began is found in Eden.


Why did, Why was, Why were, Why can, Why Why Why.  It makes a sudden anger arise and doubt hit the fan as well as the caged animal fight for its freedom.  What answer from any situation are we truly seeking?  A logical, reasoned solution to cure an already faced barrier away from joy?  Joy that was lived before it arose?  Before any question comes into your mind from any daily happening was there truly joy?  And if so from where?


When I wake up I am joyful for the days new beginning.  The hope I have in finding the fresh start to the day.  By noon though, there has suddenly became a break in the gap.  The day is no longer as sweet as I remembered it being in the morning.  I am rushed.  I am longing for that hope, that freedom from the joy of the day unfolding.  But by noon I have found that it's not coming out to be as adored as I had hoped.  I'm getting buried under stress of my expectations.  I begin to ask questions. And again, there I find an animal roaring behind a curtain.


Now back to Eden.  When Adam fell, he was not longing for much.  He knew what he had and why and what for and...by who.  From what the Bible tells us, God and Adam had communion, real communication and no barrier.  Which broke soon after the apple incident.  What a choice!  But what question was going through Adams head?  Maybe, why not?  Maybe he had felt God's love, which was so amazing and real, and thought that God would not be hurt?  Was he thinking God would maybe forgive and forget then and there?


Whatever the question, or thought or denial Adam went through, we are going through still.  We are afraid to stop asking though.  I believe Adam hit rock bottom outside of the garden, felt like a complete idiot and came to repent from that very moment.  Never asking why again.  Or at least I like to think it that way.  He learned his lesson.


But have we?  Have we not gotten angry at God because we find ourselves lost in our own emotions?  Have we gotten so relaxed in finding that we can control situations that when they fall apart our anger seems suitable?  Are we really that pride(fall)?


Like a Good king over his realm, he states the boundaries.  Not because he just felt like doing it that way, but because he fought for them, he made it possible to be as large or as small.  Not to have his country ask why it was not bigger but because he knew what they needed.


In our minds we think like a caged animal.  Mindless, deranged, scared and full of rage.  Or possibly just sleeping between fits of rage.


The way which our God has paved through Christ is like that Good king who fights for more land than needed to make his people overly joyful.


This life we live is not as simple as a bird swaying in the breeze, because that bird will soon have to find shelter from the coming storm.  He may have to fly south but for him he has only one option.  To flee.  He cannot ask why.  He can not fight the storm and answer it's reason for being there.  He accepts his battle and fights a good fight, by leaving the danger.  Like human nature.  Except we often fight instead and find we are stubborn and a fool for trying.  When facing God, as a fool, we'll lose everytime.


But he is the Good King.  Who bought up all the land around Him, so much so that it is bigger than His people need.  He opened the door as well.  Allowing others to come in.  Not to overrule the chosen people, but to become as equals under Him.


When there are storms and we try to fly through them we'll only get hit by hail.  And as a spiritually small bird, that can kill you.  Don't let your human nature become stubborn and stay there, to close yourself off from the freedom that has been handed to you.  Choose to let the caged animal be tamed and given a purpose, a purpose only Christ can give.  He knows the introspection and extrospection of self better than you.


Face the storms with the knowledge that Christ makes sense of them all  Without Him the storm is a destructive storm, but with Him the storm is an opportunity to getting to know his purpose for that storm.