My Inbox of Daily Inspirations: Daily Heartlight -- June 23, 2008

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June 23, 2008

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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================

How to Survive a Bear Attack, by Phil Ware

Many years ago, a letter to the editor in "TIME Magazine" shared
something like this:

To survive a bear attack while hiking in bear country, hike with a
friend. Make sure the friend is more overweight and out of shape
than you. When you meet a bear, run like crazy. But you don't have
to outrun the bear, you only have to outrun your pal.

At first glance, this is humorous. Unfortunately, however, we've all
been that slower pal. It might not be a real bear in the woods, but
sooner or later, most of us are bear bait -- set up by an office rival,
betrayed by a pretend friend, made the scapegoat in a prank turned bad,
given the pink slip during downsizing, or betrayed by a marriage
partner. Most of us will have to face a bear at some point in our life.

More than a decade ago, my wife and I visited Alaska for the first time
in early October. Tourist season was over, a light dusting of snow was
on the mountains, and the bears were getting ready for the winter. We
were warned about bears and precautions to take to avoid them. Hikers
in the city park just outside Anchorage carried rifles just in case
they encountered a bear on the trail -- a kind man encouraged us to
walk with his family so he could protect us. We were not used to being
prey in the food chain. We did notice, however, that every group we
encountered on the trail had one person carrying a rifle.

The week before our arrival, a grandmother and grandson were hiking a
familiar trail -- clearly marked, heavily traveled, and just off the
main highway. When they encountered a bear, the grandmother sent her
grandson up a good tree. She took off running in front of the bear,
knowing her actions would instinctively cause him to attack her and
forget about her grandson. Several hours later, the boy was rescued
from the tree. The grandmother was found mauled to death. The boy
learned how to survive a bear attack: you hike with a grandmother who
loves you more than she loves her own life!

We survive our bear attacks the same way.

We are never alone when this bear attacks.

Take your right middle finger and gently touch your left palm.
Then take your left middle finger and gently touch your right palm. In
sign language, you've just said the name Jesus. We know Jesus' name by
the scars from his encounter with our bear -- the sin and failure we
could not overcome. Yes, it is by His wounds that we are healed!1

We are never alone when this bear attacks. Jesus came to face the bear
so we could go free. He was abandoned so we wouldn't have to face our
bear alone!2 And guess what! He not only defeated the bear, but he
lives with scars so we know we can survive one, too.

Since we share in flesh and blood, Jesus shared in our humanity so
that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death
-- that is, the devil -- and free those whose lives were held in
slavery by their fear of death ... (Hebrews 2:14-15).

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How has God revealed to you that he was with you during a trying time
in your life?

How do you trust in the promises that you are never abandoned by God,
even when all outward appearances seem to say that you are?

I'd love to hear from you on my blog:
http://thephilfiles.com

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1 "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by
his wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). "He himself bore our sins in
his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24 NIV).

2 One of the most haunting verses in all the Bible occurs right after
Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane: Speaking of Jesus'
disciples, we are told: "Then everyone deserted him and fled" (Mark
14:50).

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Daily Heartlight -- June 23, 2008