LET IT LIE

Brian’s father was a zookeeper and daily after school, Brian would join his bald-headed father at the zoo. He relished every minute spent in the large expanse of compartmentalized land that the zoo was. He loved the ambiance of it -the animals, their chirping, croaking, roaring, whining, hissing- all of it enthralled him.
That fateful Wednesday afternoon, they were standing in front of the lion’s cage when Brian’s Dad said he wanted to go get game for the lion.
“Don’t make noise or disturb its sleep.” were the instructions he left behind.
Brian sat on a log of wood and he picked a note from his backpack, he started doing his homework. When he was done, he sat staring into space and a few minutes later he got bored of sitting idle. He loved liveliness and fun not boredom, and he knew one thing that would entertain him, it was hearing the lion roar. He enjoyed it any time.
He wondered why his Dad would tell him not to wake the lion. Didn’t he know that it would be pleasurable for him to hear it roar? Moreover, nothing could possibly go wrong, there was the strong brazen cage for his safety. The more he thought about it, the more he saw reasons to go ahead.
He walked towards the huge mahogany tree nearby, reached and plucked off a long branch. He strolled back to the cage and prodded the tawny, fur covered skin of the lion with the stick. The lion stirred, he smiled. He goaded it again, this time it’s eyes popped open and it rose, shaking its body, its mane bristling momentarily.
Brian found the alacrity with which it jolted to consciousness rather unnerving and at the same time riveting. When it gawked at him, there was a glint in it’s sun-golden eyes; the kind that would be in the eyes of a starving predator that found a potential prey after a long hunt. It’s roar was gusty and feisty, Brian smiled in spite of the fear that licked at him from inside. There’s a cage, I’m safe. He reassured himself.
The lion lapped at its muzzle and took a few backward steps as though to gather momentum, its eyes fixed on Brian.
Brian’s heart was now thumping wildly. What he didn’t know was that when the lion was hungry and it sees a prey, it would try to break through whatever barrier. The lion had be ramming it’s weight on the cage for years, trying to escape, but for the strength of the cage, its attempts had been hitherto futile. But its consistent attempts had weakened the cage’s connection to the pillar, of this too Brian was completely oblivious.
When the lion lunged suddenly, Brian took to his heels instinctively, flaying arms and screaming hysterically.
He heard a loud crash. The lion had broken through the cage. His heart was in his mouth as he ran at the highest speed he could. For a person of his age, he was running at a breakneck speed, but in comparison with his assailant, he was like an ant trying to escape the inevitable swat of a man.
He heard the thuds of the feline’s footfalls which raised dust, each of its determined stride equaled five of his.
He continued squealing as he whipped past cages, stables, smells and sounds. His assailant drew closer and closer.
He quickly maneuvered a sharp turn towards the ostriches’ aviary. He had learned from Nat Geo Wild that most fast mammals find it difficult to navigate sharp bends. Thanks to that knowledge it extended his time on earth by, say thirty seconds.
When he looked over his shoulders, he saw that the lion was dangerously close, reaching out its forelimbs to his shoulders. He let out a bloodcurdling shriek.
Its paws scratched back his yellow uniform, skin and flesh. Brian toppled over. In his bleary state he could see the feline crouch over him, its forelimbs held out like a surgeons lancet -ready to dissect, divide and devour.
Brian’s Dad heard his son’s scream and he hurried with the fattened goat in his arms, but it was too late already.
* * *
In this context, Brian’s Dad represents God, Brian represents believers and the lion our fleshy desires, particularly libido.
Like Brian’s Dad, God has left us with clear cut instructions. “Flee youthful lust!” “Flee all appearance of evil!” “Don’t wake the lion!”
Don’t wake your urges by those erotic pictures, videos, songs and talks.
Don’t whet your sexual appetite by lusting.
Flee!
Brian wanted the pleasure of the roar but he got more than he bargained for. He thought the cage was enough security.
You want to enjoy the brief pleasure of smooching, of a kiss or ‘something light’. You so much believe in the cage of your principles, discipline and self control. Hey, have you forgotten that the lion of your urge is starved and dauntless? You’d just be shocked to see all the blocks of your Jericho wall tumble over.
All you might want is a roar and then get devoured. All Dinah wanted was to see the ladies of the land, but she ended up being Sheckem’s dinner.
It’s better not to start the fire than to complain that the fire truck came late!
The more Brian rationalized his father’s instruction, the more unreasonable it seemed to him.
You may wonder why God would say you should stay chaste when he knows you have blood in your veins and active hormones. Why not try out if we would still end up getting married? And all that logical, high sounding nonsense.
Stop! Halt those thoughts.
God’s ways are not your ways, they are unfathomable! Yours is just to obey.
Let the sleeping lion lie!
It’s easier to hold in the longing to wake the lion than to try to get it caged again.
All you want might be a roar, but when the lion rises and it bristles, it might just get out of control.
So, just let it lie!
The appropriate time for it to wake is coming, the appropriate meat for it to eat is coming. That ripe time to feast is only in marriage. So, wait!
* * *
Songs of solomon 8;4 (NLT.)
Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right.
Happy world sexual purity day. It’s not just meant to be a day’s thing. With God’s help, sexual purity can become your life principle. Let’s spread the word; in a polluted world like ours, it’s very possible to bring your flesh under, to bring every thought and imagination in obedience Christ. That isn’t just your body, it’s God’s temple.