Hebrews 6:32-34 -“Through acts of faith, they toppled kingdoms, made justice work, took the promises for themselves. They were protected from lions, fires, and sword thrusts, turned disadvantage to advantage, won battles and routed alien armies.”

I chuckled at the news coverage of a bear that somehow managed to break into a house whose owner lay fast asleep. Unknown to this massive beast, a tiny but dedicated lapdog was on patrol. The irate k-9 was not about to turn over management of his home, no matter how outmanned he seemed. As his doggy adrenaline kicked in, the little guard dog barked, snapped, and lunged frantically at the bear. Despite the difference in their muscle mass, it was the bear who tucked his tail and ran, disappearing into the woods. All the while, the owner slept soundly.

The royal mess in the man’s house the next morning led him to his security camera footage. He was speechless watching the courage of the tiny guard dog who took his job very seriously. The dog could have run for the safety of his owner’s bed thinking, “I am too small, and the bear is too big!” However, the little dog remained faithful to his owner and without hesitation protected what was precious to him.

I do not recall the name of the dog, but I shall refer to him as Daniel because his courage reminds me of brave Daniel in scripture. When a kingly decree forbade Daniel to worship or face certain death in the lions’ den, Daniel could have run for safety. He could have thought, “I am too small, and the king is too big!” But brave Daniel stood his ground and protected what was precious to him. Like the little dog, Daniel, face to face with lions, did not back down. Because of his devotion to God, brave Daniel defeated the king’s decree.

There will be days we will come under attack from enemies too big to fight. We must choose to either fly the coop or pursue in battle. When our faith diminishes, we can abandon the church and run for the hills. When our family structures fracture, defending our precious fort may seem too overwhelming and we can retreat. When our job expectations place us in opposition to our moral values, we can surrender our convictions. But, friend, we have another option. We can recall Daniel and the little guard dog and discover the courage to defend at all costs what is precious to us.

Father God, may we feel Your power living within us. May we stand our ground against Your enemies.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane