There once was a very special lion named Christian. He was different from other lions. He wasn’t born in Africa, he was born in the country of England. He also was not born a free lion. He was born in captivity. This made him different from other lions since he didn’t live in the wild. Christian was sold as a small cub to a department store in London more than fifty years ago. Two young Australians named John and Ace saw Christian in the store and decided to take him home, just like you might do with a kitty cat.
John and Ace brought Christian to their home in London and treated him just like he was part of their family. He loved to play with his owners and nap by the fireplace. Though he was a wild lion, Christian was very gentle and friendly to everyone he met. John and Ace loved Christian deeply.
But as the months passed and Christian grew bigger and bigger, it became harder and harder to take care of such a large lion in such a small space as a home. Homes are meant for people! Lions are meant to have wide-open savannas and grasslands! John and Ace started to wonder what to do. Even though it made them very sad, they decided the right thing to do was to return Christian to Africa. They wanted him to live a free and happy life.
With heavy hearts, John and Ace said goodbye to Christian. As they watched the plane roar down the runway and lift into the skies, they wondered if they would ever see Christian again. They also thought, even if they got to see him, he probably wouldn’t remember them. They thought he would be too busy learning to be like other lions in his new home in the wild. A year later, they got to find out!
John and Ace packed their bags. They were going on a very special trip to visit their very special lion in his new home. They wanted to see Christian living happily in the wild even if he didn’t remember them. Soon their plane roared down the runway and lifted into the skies.
Kenya, Africa is very different than London, England. When their plane landed, John and Ace saw dry grasslands instead of the city they were used to. Eagerly they traveled to the nature preserve that was Christian’s new home.
Finally, they arrived! The people working at the nature preserve guided John and Ace to where they thought Christian might be. As John and Ace got nearer, they called Christian’s name. What happened next surprised everyone!
From the top of a sandy hill, a large lion emerged and took a good look at John at Ace. Within seconds he was speeding towards the young men. It was Christian! He recognized his old pals and was overjoyed to see their friendly faces once again. Leaping up on his back legs, Christian wrapped his friends in a furry lion hug. It was like a wonderful family reunion, better than John and Ace could have ever dreamed.
Though they hadn’t seen each other for more than a year, Christian never forgot the love and care he was given by John and Ace. Their love for each other was stronger than their distance apart.
The amazing story of “The Lion Who Didn’t Forget” reminds us of an even greater truth found in the Bible.
Psalm 136 tells us that God’s love endures forever. No matter where we go or what happens in our lives, God always remembers us and never forgets. He is faithful, which means He will always be with us and care for us.
We know that God will be there for us because He promised that to us in the Bible. The Bible is God’s letter, written to you! Here is what it says:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
Like the lion who never forgot, God will always remember us and be with us. We can put our trust in Him.
Things You Can Do:
- Thank God for His promise to always remember and be with you. You can do this by praying. This is where you talk to God like He is your friend. You can talk to Him out loud, or by thinking in your mind. Say a prayer praising Him for always being with you.
- Draw a picture of Christian giving John and Ace his furry lion hug. This will help you remember that God will always remember you.
- Share the story of Christian with a friend or family member to encourage them about God’s faithfulness.
If you’d like to learn more about Christian the lion, ask your parents to look up the story of John Rendall and Ace Bourke.
