We know that the lion is referred to as the king of the jungle. There is something majestic in the way that he holds himself. He walks with confidence and roars with power to declare that title. But do you know what you call a dead lion? You call him a dead lion.

One more question.  Do you know the difference between a dead lion and a live dog? The answer is hope. As long as the dog is alive and the lion is dead, he can stand by the lion with no fear. He has the power, and he still has hope. Ecclesiastes 9:4 says, “Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!”

We need to stop acting like dead lions. God has given us his power to stand up to the enemy, but we don’t use it. How do we act like a dead lion?

• We stop praying for people and situations that we think will never change.

• We act as though there is no hope for our nation.

• We lay lifeless under our circumstances.

• We grow stiff necked and harden our hearts.

A living dog or person still has hope. People and situations can change. As long as we are alive, there is still time and still, hope for us to accomplish our tasks. We need to surrender the rest of our lives to the Lord and put our hope in him. He can lift us above our circumstances and soften our hearts. So, take a deep breath and thank God for life and hope.

“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” (Proverbs 23:18) (NIV)