"Look, Simba. Everything the light touches is our kingdom." An iconic line from an equally iconic Disney classic. Due to the meme which has permeated the Internet, most people already know Simba's response to his father.
"What about that shadowy place?"
Mufasa sternly tells him that area is beyond their borders and adds, "You must never go there, Simba."
With the rebellion and curiosity of youth, Simba and his friend, Nala, venture into the shadowed territory and wind up in trouble from which Mufasa must rescue them. The lion cubs know what they are doing is wrong, but their curiosity overshadows (pun intended) Mufasa's warning
Another scenario similar to this should be familiar to Christians. "But the Lord God warned him, 'You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden - except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die" (Gen. 2:16-17). Adam is given explicit instructions by God not to partake of one specific tree in the Garden of Eden. Everything the light touches is his to enjoy, except for the single shadowy place.
Simba and Nala run to the shadows because they do not have enough faith in Mufasa's wisdom to obey him. They think they can handle themselves in a forbidden situation. Similarly, although they walk and talk together, Adam does not have faith in God's judgment. His real trust resides with Eve, who convinces him to eat despite God's warning. Both couples believe they know best but wind up being rescued by the one who forbade their actions.
Though Mufasa is disappointed in his son, his righteous anger is outweighed by the concern and love he holds for the cubs. There are consequences for Simba's actions, but he does not leave them defenseless against the brunt of the hyenas' attack. He saves them and later tells Simba, "I was [scared] today. I thought I might lose you."
When Adam and Eve bit into the fruit, they lost their intimate connection with God. A dark chasm of sin separated them from coming into His presence. This does not mean God did not forgive them. On the contrary, Scripture is full of passages of God's forgiveness for those who do not deserve it. Numbers 14 recounts a time Moses pleaded for the forgiveness of Israel after their continuous sin. Verse 20 reads, "Then the Lord said, 'I will pardon them as you have requested." The people of Israel are not allowed to enter Canaan, but they are forgiven through the love of God.
Regardless of the sin in your life or mine, God is faithful to forgive the truly repentant because He loves them. He loves all of us, and whatever we do, that will never change.
"What about that shadowy place?"
Mufasa sternly tells him that area is beyond their borders and adds, "You must never go there, Simba."
With the rebellion and curiosity of youth, Simba and his friend, Nala, venture into the shadowed territory and wind up in trouble from which Mufasa must rescue them. The lion cubs know what they are doing is wrong, but their curiosity overshadows (pun intended) Mufasa's warning
Another scenario similar to this should be familiar to Christians. "But the Lord God warned him, 'You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden - except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die" (Gen. 2:16-17). Adam is given explicit instructions by God not to partake of one specific tree in the Garden of Eden. Everything the light touches is his to enjoy, except for the single shadowy place.
Simba and Nala run to the shadows because they do not have enough faith in Mufasa's wisdom to obey him. They think they can handle themselves in a forbidden situation. Similarly, although they walk and talk together, Adam does not have faith in God's judgment. His real trust resides with Eve, who convinces him to eat despite God's warning. Both couples believe they know best but wind up being rescued by the one who forbade their actions.
Though Mufasa is disappointed in his son, his righteous anger is outweighed by the concern and love he holds for the cubs. There are consequences for Simba's actions, but he does not leave them defenseless against the brunt of the hyenas' attack. He saves them and later tells Simba, "I was [scared] today. I thought I might lose you."
When Adam and Eve bit into the fruit, they lost their intimate connection with God. A dark chasm of sin separated them from coming into His presence. This does not mean God did not forgive them. On the contrary, Scripture is full of passages of God's forgiveness for those who do not deserve it. Numbers 14 recounts a time Moses pleaded for the forgiveness of Israel after their continuous sin. Verse 20 reads, "Then the Lord said, 'I will pardon them as you have requested." The people of Israel are not allowed to enter Canaan, but they are forgiven through the love of God.
Regardless of the sin in your life or mine, God is faithful to forgive the truly repentant because He loves them. He loves all of us, and whatever we do, that will never change.
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
...
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love."
- Romans 8:1-2, 38
...
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love."
- Romans 8:1-2, 38