Some mornings I wake up with a persistent image in my mind. Sometimes I know why, but more often than not I really do not have a clear understanding of what brings a picture to the forefront of consciousness so soon after sleep.
Today before the sun rose I was rubbing my eyes and trying to see the coffee pot, but all I could see was the face of a lion.
It was a male lion with a scarred face. It was not at all frightening but it was awe-inspiring. The photo posted here is the closest thing I could find to what I saw. My lion’s eyes were less distant and his face was wider.
I spent some time talking with a good friend yesterday about our personal spiritual beliefs, but mostly we talked about how challenging it is to have constructive conversation with our friends and associates about issues of faith and science. My friend and I have what seem to be very different beliefs about some things, but honestly at the end of the day I still don’t think we are that far apart in what matters.
Case in point from our conversation:
Me: I feel kind of bad about this, but I stand up all the time and say I believe in the virgin birth and I don’t really.
Friend: You don’t believe in miracles?
Me: I do. Just not that one.
Friend: Really. Why not?
Me: I guess because everyone is so hung up on sex and it would get in the way of the story if there were a guy. Who’s the guy? Do we like that guy? Was he her husband? As a woman, I see and live a lot of social judgments that get in the way of what is really important. I think the story of who Jesus was is told with a lot of myth, but that doesn’t make it untrue. Myth for me actually tells more truth than science sometimes.
Friend: I believe in Adam and Eve.
Me: You do? Why?
Friend: I just do. I think there is a line of demarcation when God put his spirit into human beings and we became different creatures because of it.
I avoided any talk of apples and snakes. But I’m kind of down with his point even though I would never say it the way he did exactly. We are going to keep talking.
And I’m going to keep thinking about my lion.
Image credit: ODP
Esse Diem 
I believe the lion you are seeing is Aslan. I see him too sometimes. It all makes perfect sense.
I love it, thank you! By the time the coffee was ready he had moved off, but I think he’s still around here somewhere.
Have you SEEN the Narnia movies???? Everytime Aslan comes on, I am so moved I sob and sob. My children think I am insane, but I love Aslan so. Aslan is how I believe God looks and acts and is.
I think I saw part of the The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Like you I get very emotional in that story. C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite thinkers and writers. (Do you think God sounds like Liam Neeson? LOL)
I am fascinated by the long history of human beings seeing God in animals. It’s cross-cultural and multi-faith. It’s also very powerful.
You were seeing Yeshua. He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He is revealing Himself to you. Engage Him and ask Him to show you who He really is. Ask Him questions. You will be amazed.
Wow, thank you for that interpretation!