I recently went to go see the live-action version of The Lion King, and left with quite a few things to ponder in my heart. The first being that while it was good, it was not better than the original. Second, that Timon and Pumba definitely carried the movie at points Third, that I saw so many things that reflected God’s love for us, and the often difficult pursuit of our purpose.
Now I’m not looking to spoil anything for anybody, but the original came out in 1994. I remember watching it when it came out, and you have had 25 years to acquaint yourself with the storyline so if you don’t know it, I don’t know what to tell you (Kidding. Ish). Fun fact: the storyline of The Lion King was inspired by the lives of Joseph and Moses in the Bible, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet (S/O to Wikipedia).
So from the very beginning of the story, it is very clear that young Simba has been marked for a purpose: to become king.
He knows it, his parents know it, everybody knows and acknowledge it. Including his jealous uncle Scar. While being groomed to one day step into his role as king, Simba struggles with constantly trying to prove his readiness for the role (especially to his dad Mufasa who he adores and admires) which lands him into trouble a couple of times.
Have you ever had God reveal to you a part or piece of your purpose, and instead of committing to the process of Him preparing you for your role, you start to get sidetracked trying to prove that you’re ready? Proverbs 13:12 says: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
God knows the plans that He has for you (Jeremiah 29:11), and He gets that the wait can be difficult…but you might want to let Him fully prepare you before He gives you what He has for you. I was talking to somebody recently about this, and I explained that there are a lot of things that I want in life, but I want to be ready when I get it. I don’t want to mishandle what God places in my hands. While I’m not perfect, I’d rather wait to get it and be ready rather than for Him to give it to me and I mess it up completely.
Anyways, one point after having his curiosity peaked by Scar (his uncle, jealous of his calling and his purpose) he takes his best friend and they roll up into the elephant graveyard. Which Scar neglected to inform him was hyena homelands. It’s funny how the enemy will tell you just enough to get you interested, but neglect to mention how what he’s offering you could potentially kill your purpose. So there Simba and Nala are surrounded by hyenas, that Simba’s attempting to stand up to…and here comes his dad Mufasa running in to save them. When he attacked their enemies and said “If you ever come near my son again…” I didn’t know whether to cry or fall out.
Do you know how many times I’ve gotten myself into situations, and here comes my good good father charging in to save me? 1 John 1:7-9 says: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
At one point or another, we all mess up. That’s not a pass, it’s just a hard truth. When we repent and ask God for help…He’ll come in and turn it around. And as for your enemies? well Deuteronomy 28:7 says: The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. So roll up on me if you want to, to but Jehovah-Nissi (the Lord is my banner, and my protector) is on my team. He’s a hard hitter that doesn’t miss, and my God doesn’t play about his daughter.
Quickly I just want to touch on two more things. The first being Simba’s revelation of who he was. I say revelation because he forgot. His uncle (the old hater that he was) had convinced him that he had forefitted his purpose and that his only option was to run. Then much much later Rafiki comes along to help Simba receive the message that by forgetting his father Mufasa, that Simba had too forgotten who he was. In the same way, when we forget to keep our eyes on God…we too forget who we’re called to be.
Lastly, toward the end when Simba comes back to challenge Scar…Scar again attempts to keep Simba mentally bound. Reminding him of his mistakes (because if he’s mentally trapped, and counted himself out then he won’t fight. Scar doesn’t really want that smoke, because he knows he won’t win), and why he would be unworthy. Our enemy does the same thing, he’s an accuser of the brethren Revelation 12:9-11 says: And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
They added some dialogue to this movie y’all (I was sitting there like, they definitely ain’t say all this in in the original), but Scar tells him to bow before him and that he is nothing. You see the enemy can’t afford for you to remember who you are in Christ, because when you do…there’s gonna be a fight.
And you’re going to win. Not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of the Living God. The enemy wants you bound and quiet so that you and the people attached to you stay bound and defeated, but Jesus Christ came that you might have life and life more abundantly.
So this morning, remember who you are and Whose you are. It’s time to go back and get what you thought you disqualified yourself for. Amen.
I write and share these devotionals every other Sunday morning on WBRU! Be sure to tune in to the live stream and check out the morning gospel show.
Stylishly Yours,
Theresa Seyi
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