Yesterday in worship we studied a rich text where a ghostly, disembodied hand appears and writes an eerie message on a partying king’s wall (Daniel 5).  A mysterious hand appeared on cue and “mene, mene, tekel, parsin” got scrawled on the sanctuary wall.  That was really cool.  But what really got me was just before that point in worship.  It was then I had the privilege of introducing a lion to the kids.  I got to point out that as long as they didn’t grab at the lion’s grassy habitat or fragile whiskers, they were welcome to touch and pet the lion.  Worship was paused for lion exploration.  Look at the size of the paw compared to my hand!  So that’s what a mane feels like!  Wow!

Yes, there is a real African lion in our worship space.
He had a good life.  He had some issues.  His life came to a humane end.  He wound up in Omaha, Nebraska with ones who respect him.  And now our church is borrowing him across the sacred season of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany.
Last week he was brought into the church and set up.
I couldn’t help marveling to the lion:  Did you have any idea you’d end up here?
(Definitely a different “sanctuary” than his one in Africa.)

The lion in our sanctuary accents a current theme, “Life Among Lions.”  We’re studying Daniel (who survives a den of lions, see Daniel 6) and then the “Lion from the tribe of Judah,” Jesus Christ (we’ll soon be studying the Gospel of Luke).  Scripture has other rich references to lions that cause us to consider the power of God as well as the origins of human courage.

We have many familiar references to lions in our lives:  The Lion King, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and “lions & tigers & bears oh, my” from The Wizard of Oz which also features an insecure lion who realizes courage.  A couple of weeks ago the Henry Doorly Zoo sent a promotional brochure featuring their lions.

Our church’s creative team wrestled with the texts, the season and possibilities of lions.  Lions are dangerous.  Lions kill.  Yet we find them pleasantly awe-inspiring.  (Obviously we are not zebras.)

But it was the kids who reminded me it was the Lion from the tribe of Judah who said, “Let the children come to me.”

Our Advent Safari has begun.  We are readying our hearts for a Lion King who is fierce, loving and just and who reveals a God who creates a peaceable kingdom where lions and zebras and wildebeests actually get along.
May we all find surprising welcome, hope and peace across this December.
May God’s restless Spirit prowl around in our hearts and disarm the world.

Pastor Sarah Dickinson