Yikes!!

I took this intriguing picture in Myrtle Beach.  While it looks almost like an illustration, it's really a gigantic statue of a fierce gorilla (King Kong, no doubt) clinging to a full-size building along the Route 17 bypass.  It's certainly an eye-catching display!

This huge, fearsome gorilla would be horrifying if it were real.  Thankfully, it's make-believe, but it brings to mind many of the horrifying things that are real in this world.  On more than one occasion when I've heard about something bad happening, I'll comment, "It's a jungle out there!"

It is indeed a jungle out there and horrors even worse than a giant gorilla are attacking Christians all over the world.  Ever since that wicked serpent slithered into the Garden of Eden, he changed the topography from a beautiful garden into a danger-filled jungle and life has never been the same.

Over the holidays, I felt like I was in a jungle surrounded by sick people with germs floating around, ready to attack.  Sure enough, I was invaded by some of those germs and became a sick person myself.  Then, there's the jungle of bad news that surrounds us and often manages to pull us down onto the murky, muddy jungle path of distress.

Sunday morning when the clock radio popped on to wake us, the news was on and even before we were out of bed, we heard that another Indonesian plane had gone down and was missing, a ferry full of people was on fire in stormy weather, and there was some murder reported.  I said, "Whoa!  What a way to greet the day!" 

This world we live in can often appear to be one giant jungle of danger and distress and, because it is a sinful world with Satan as the prince of the power of the air, there will always be bad things happening.  But, for those of us who are children of the glorious King, our true home is in that perfect world where our Savior is preparing a place for us to live with Him.  Until that day comes, we'll be treading on some jungle paths, but no worries....we have a jungle Guide who has promised to never leave us.  Here are some verses to remind us that He is in control of all things:

 "But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me,

I shall come forth as gold"  Job 23:10

 

"In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct

your path"  Proverbs 3:6

 

"Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth

be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the

midst of the sea...God is in the midst of her, she shall not

be moved...The Lord of hosts is with us"  Psalm 46

God knows the way through the jungle and He will bring us through to the other side.