II Peter 2; Exodus 14:14 - "God Shaped Hole"

My mind is going all over the place this morning. The night was spent waking up many times and praying for different ones going through tough times. I prayed for:

• the two pastors waiting for God to reveal the next step for them
• the lady finally getting her cast off today
• the lady having an appointment tomorrow to get test results
• two ladies awaiting hip surgery
• the lady having a biopsy today
• the husband/father seeking employment
• the young father seeking God's will for his family
• two wives dealing with blatant sin in their husbands
• the father and family who are separated due to his job
• the father separated from his children due to divorce

I kept having a reoccurring dream about a big ole lion walking around in our home. It was so strange because as long as we didn't do anything he didn't like he was OK but if we moved in a way he didn't like or said something he didn't like he would growl and let his displeasure be known. As I thought of the dream, I wondered if it had meaning to me. This morning when I opened up II Peter 2 I realized there is meaning behind it. At first I thought it represented the enemy as I Peter 5:8 says that "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." But then the Lord revealed to me that the lion represented Him. If it would have been the enemy in my dream, people would have been destroyed. Instead the lion would just let His displeasure be known but not hurt. In my dream when the lion would go toward Ben (as a child), I would tell him to 'stand still.' In Exodus 14:14 we are reminded to 'be still' and allow the Lord to fight against the enemy. In II Peter 2 Peter is talking about false teachers we sometimes deal with while on this earth. Part of verse nine reads, "... if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials..." Yes! He has the power to do anything in His will. Therefore, when we are going through trials He has the power to stop them. Sometimes His will is to take them through us to grow our faith. He will never, never, never allow the enemy to win as long as we are living in His will. Ben said something yesterday that was really strong. "Trusting God does not guarantee desired outcome. I endeavor to trust in the Lord always--not in hopes of getting "my way" but to lean on Him when I don't. Easy to say. Challenging to live out." We must trust Him no matter what our circumstances. As Ben said, this is easier said than done. Praise God for His peace as we allow Him to work in and through us.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for all the ways You reveal Yourself to me. Thank You for the opportunities to pray for many during the night. Thank You for the revelation from the night. Lord, I pray for stillness in myself and others as we go through trials. I pray for Your will to be revealed to all I prayed for during the night. I pray for more of You to ooze out of me wherever You take me today. Father, I pray for people to come into relationship with You today in a whole new way. Put people who will make a difference for You in the paths of those who need to make a decision for You today. Thank You Father for being My Lion! Amen.