Life has Surprises
So Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came to the vineyards of Timnah. Now to his surprise, a young lion came roaring against him. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. – Judges 14:5-6 NKJV.
Jenna Krehbiel was enjoying the Isis Shrine Circus that had come to Salina, Kansas when she visited the ladies’ restroom and…had a surprise she will never forget! Jenna says: “I went in to use the bathroom, and a lady came in to get her daughter out and said there was a tiger loose. I didn’t know it was in the bathroom, and I walked in the door, which closed right after I had walked in. I saw the tiger; it was at most two feet in front of me, and I turned around calmly and walked back toward the door. Someone opened the door and said, ‘Get out’. You don’t expect to go in a bathroom door, have it shut behind you and see a tiger walking toward you. Looking back, it was a scary ordeal… My daughter wanted to know if it had washed its hands. That was her only concern.”
The tiger had escaped during the circus and had entered an open bathroom door. Security was able to move people out and barricaded the door. But Jenna entered a door at the other end of the restroom. Chris Bird, manager of the center hosting the circus said, “Once she saw the tiger, I’m sure she knew to go the other way. Overall, it was a scary, surreal moment. I am glad no one was hurt or injured.” (Orange News 04.24.13; CNN 04.23.13; Salina.com of the Salina Journal 04.22.13)
You never really know what life will bring your way. We are told in James 4:13 NKJV, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” One thing we do know about tomorrow is that it may not turn out exactly as we plan.
I have always liked a statement made by Tom Hanks’ character in the movie Castaway written by William Broyles, Jr., “So now I know what I have to do. I have to keep breathing. And tomorrow the sun will rise, and who knows what the tide will bring in.” Sometimes, life sends a tiger into our path, and sometimes, life sends what we need to escape from a desperate situation. Whatever happens, we need to keep on breathing, keep on living for the Lord.
Whatever life sends your way you have a choice as to how you will react. Jenna Krehbiel could have collapsed in shock and became a tiger’s lunch; instead she did what she knew to do and left the place of danger. God calls upon us to do the same when possible, as is pointed out in 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” When there is a way of escape, take it!
In life, we may, however, have situations thrust upon us that provide no immediate way of escape and must be met head on with all of the resources that we have available to us. Samson faced one of those situations when “…a young lion came roaring against him.” There was no way of escape except through the lion. The resources of Samson included, “the Spirit of the Lord” which ” came mightily upon him.” We may believe that we are totally inadequate to meet the roaring lions and tigers of life that come upon us, and we are. However, we have the same resource that Samson had; we have the Holy Spirit living within us if we know Jesus as our Savior. “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you (1 Corinthians 3:16)?”
Whatever life brings your way this day, or tomorrow, as a child of God you are not alone. Rise up in the power of God and meet the challenge of life, because you can surely overcome whatever it may be!
(You never really know what life will bring your way.)