(Jesus:) There is a story that I want to tell you. It's a child's story, which some of you may have heard before. It's about a young boy who is trying to make his way on horseback to a land of promise, but the boy's entire journey seems beset with encounters with lions.
During the beginning of his journey‚ when lions pursue him and another nearby traveler, they end up journeying together for added safety. At another time, just as they are trying to reach the safety of a city in advance of some evildoers, and think they may not make it, another lion pursues them. This causes them to expend even more energy and strength to reach the gates of their desired haven.
Finally, the boy, exhausted from his journey, is trying to find his way on a foggy path to a place of shelter where he can sleep for the night. But he can't see the way, and soon realizes he's lost. And if that isn't bad enough, he hears a lion's growl just in front of him. That was the last straw for the boy. He didn't care to run or hide or try to fight off the attacker this time.
"Fine, eat me!" he says. "I don't care anymore. My life is horrible and everything goes wrong for me." But to his surprise, the lion talks to him and asks him why he feels like his life is so horrible.The boy goes on to expound on all the difficulties of his journey, making mention of every encounter with lions. He says that surely he must've had the worst life of all because everything always went so wrong. Then he asks‚ "See, don't you now agree that my life is cursed?
The lion responds, "No. Instead I see that your life is blessed." Shocked, the boy asks him how, and the lion replies‚ "There was never more than one lion with you on your entire journey. And I was that lion.
"I was the one who chased you at the beginning of your journey so that you would travel with a companion. I was the one who scared away hungry animals at night, even though my growls also scared you. And when you were running for safety in the city, I was the one who chased you just when you felt like you had no more strength left.
"Through chasing you I gave you the strength to run harder than before so that your pursuers wouldn't catch up with you. And now, when you are lost and feel at the end of your rope, I am here with you to show you the way home."
My loved ones, through this simple, childish story, I am trying to show you a great truth. You see, I am that "Lion" in your life. I am the One Who has allowed each of the difficulties—the "lions"—in your life, even the "last straws" that you felt were certainly more than you could take
I don't do this to make it hard for you, and not even for the sole purpose of making you stronger. I do this to preserve you, to keep you, and to ensure that you will make it safely Home again. The main reason I allow difficulties in your journey is truly for your own benefit, because I see that without them you wouldn't reach My destinations in time, you wouldn't gain the sweeter benefits of closeness with others which gives you strength and the will to keep going, you wouldn't reach the end of your rope where all you're depending on is Me and My ability to help you through.
