Hebrews 11:33 | Lions

Brace yourself for a faith hall of fame. Hebrews 11:32-34 NIV says, “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.”

I love how sometimes the Bible just casually throws in a supernatural wonder in a story. I mean, back up with me. God shut the mouth of lions? What could be more epic than that? Of course, the writer is referring to the story of Daniel, the man of God who was thrown into a den of lions as punishment for praying to anyone but the king. God saved him from the lions.

We are talking about apex predators hardwired to hunt. These lions were probably starving hungry, so there’s not a chance in the world that Daniel would have been able to dissuade even one of them, much less lion(s) plural. Yet God delivered him by shutting the mouth of lions.

I don’t think we can really wrap our minds around this kind of delivering power. God intervened in a situation that was beyond saving. No one would have expected even the strongest warrior to have survived that fate. But God brought him through.

I think about my own life; where has God brought me through? I wonder if there are areas in my life where I think too little of God’s power. Where is my faith? If I met a hungry lion in a face-to-face showdown, do I have the faith that God could shut the mouth of the beast and save me?

I don’t think we will have to face down a lion or a bear (although David certainly had his stories). Still, we face different challenges: overcoming the temptations of the flesh and overcoming rejection, facing our spiritual adversary, and loving our enemies. The list goes on and on.

Here’s the task at hand. Meditate on the God who can shut the mouths of lions and open your heart to his voice.

Our God is big.

• Sign up for Abiding Daily text messages.

  Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired by the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.

• Order a copy of Abiding Daily: Volume One – Our first devotional book.

  Our first devotional book is available on our online store! Abiding Daily: Volume One is a devotional book including 120 prompts from the Daily Invitation. This book is designed to help believers connect with God through the word and discover more of what it means to abide in Christ. Click here to learn more.