Lion of Deliverance
Katarina had no idea how many troops were coming against her – against her home. She could only hear their boots in the distance, and the crescendo kept getting louder.
She’d been negotiating with her enemies for years, keeping them at bay with diplomacy. Today she learned that behind the walls of their kingdoms, they’d been training troops and laying up weapons – making alliances with the Lords of Heiban, who used dark powers and served the fallen one.
She was surrounded on every side and had no way to escape. All hope was lost. She’d lose her father’s kingdom, and with it, his dreams of peace in the land. Face to the marble floor of the balcony outside her room, Katarina lay prostrate, her tears forming a puddle. “Perhaps I shall drown in my tears,” she whispered to herself, her head bowed in anguish, the death wish preferable to being captured by her enemies.
Katarina quickly refocused on her conversation with her father – they communicated through thoughts. Wherever she was, she could, with the right focus, join her thoughts to His. Through the same connection, He would speak back to her, and the flow between them would continue for minutes – and sometimes for hours, depending on the need.
Today she was desperate to connect but fear was making it hard to concentrate. She tried to steady herself, tried desperately to block out the incessant pounding of the boots of 10,000 warriors marching on her home. But how could she?
While trying to connect with her father, she felt the mountain shudder – the very bedrock shook under the palace. Smoke was pouring from the mountain nearby, and then she looked in horror as flames swept up the gentle slopes. The sky turned black; the clouds turned into dark, angry swirls. Then a bright flash raced silently across the sky, and a moment later, a mighty boom shook the heavens. And with that, round after round of lightning and thunder surged forth in earnest.
Katarina stood up. She didn’t need to connect by thought. Her father was near.
Hailstones came crashing down on the mountains with severity – the friendly part of the storm. The worst of it was the fusillade of fiery bolts that struck the mountainside across from her, consuming large patches of brush and engulfing trees. The destruction was swift, and it was awful to behold.
Then her father’s Son appeared – the one known as the Lion – and from his bow, He hurled flaming arrows of His own toward the oncoming troops. As He approached Katarina, she lifted her arms in anticipation, and He took hold of her and lifted her skyward. She turned to look back and saw the fire consuming her enemies, watched spellbound as the earth opened up and swallowed her enemies. The valley opened, the crust splitting to reveal the foundations of the earth below.
The Lion, the deliverer sent by her father, held her against his chest, His muscles taut, evidencing his tremendous power. Katarina dangled a mile in the air, but she knew she was safe.
On the far side of the mountains, in a lush, fertile valley that stretched as far as she could see, the Lion gently put her down.
“Wait here,” He spoke into her thoughts. “Fear not.”
“My fear is gone,” Katarina returned in her thoughts with a smile. She knew she was free from her enemies once again.
“Make your way to the Father’s lands!”
“I will,” she answered. Looking at her clothes, she saw that they were gleaming white. Beside her was a satchel with supplies, along with her Father’s letters to aid her on her journey.
Reference:
Psalm 18:1-20
1 I will love You, O LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
4 The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. 5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. 7 Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry. 8 Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet. 10 And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters And thick clouds of the skies. 12 From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire. 13 The LORD thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. 14 He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. 15 Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At Your rebuke, O LORD, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. 16 He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the LORD was my support. 19 He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.
Rooted and Grounded 