A lion! a dragon! a serpent!

(Henry Law, "Gleanings from the Book of Life")

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish!
 No one can snatch them out of My hand!" John 10:28

Many and mighty are their foes—yet the good Shepherd protects all of His sheep.

In themselves they are as weak and tremulous as a broken reed.

The wild boar out of the forest marks them as his prey.

The roaring lion watches to devour.

Savage dogs would mangle.

The wind, the rain, the tempest, threaten to destroy.

The Good Shepherd knows these perils, and protects from all.

Satan is the arch enemy of the flock:
  for strength—he is a lion,
  for fierceness—he is a dragon,
  for twisting deviousness—he is a serpent.

His might almost reaches almightiness.

His many vassals, as legion, are a universal swarm.

His vigilance never slumbers.

His skill is barbed by world long experience.

His wrath is vehement, because his time is short. He wars with desperation because a hopeless doom is near.

How is it that the sheep are not all driven to Satan's prison cell?

There must be a Shepherd almighty to protect.

He who delivered David "from the paw of the lion, and from the paw of the bear" is the same rescuing Lord.

Paul seemed to be in the jaws of ruin, but he testifies, "The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, and I was delivered from the lion's mouth."

In direst extremity let the believer cry, "Rescue me from the mouth of the lion; save me from the horns of the wild oxen!"

A protecting arm will speedily be outstretched.

Thus His sheep never perish, and no one can snatch them out of His hands!