1. April 2026
The Lion and the Lamb: A March Reflection
By Julie Horton
There’s an old saying I find myself thinking about every year as winter begins to loosen its grip: March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. This year, I felt every bit of that.
The early days of March didn’t hold back. Fierce winds rattled the windows and sent branches tumbling. Thunderstorms rolled in with a force that sent my sweet senior dog, Augustus, trembling and searching for comfort. And the cold—it lingered longer than I wanted, keeping me inside when all I really wanted was to be outside tossing a ball to my retriever, Stevie.
But here we are—on the last day of March—and it’s nearly 80 degrees. The sun is warm, the air is gentle, and everything feels…peaceful. What a difference thirty days can make. March is truly going out like a lamb.
As I sat and thought about that contrast—the wildness and the calm—it struck me how much it mirrors the life and ministry of Jesus.
After all, He is the Lion of Judah.
From a young age, we see His boldness. At just twelve years old, He stayed behind in the temple, fully engaged in His Father’s work (Luke 2:46–49). When Mary and Joseph found Him, He didn’t apologize or shrink back—He seemed almost surprised they hadn’t known exactly where He would be. Even then, there was a quiet authority about Him.
That authority only grew stronger. We see it when He entered the temple and overturned the tables, driving out those who had turned a sacred place into a secular marketplace (Matthew 21:12–13). There was nothing timid about that moment—only righteous passion.
We see it again when He stood before the Pharisees and the woman caught in adultery. With calm confidence, He said, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” (John 8:7). I often imagine that moment—the tension, the silence—and then the soft thud of stones hitting the ground as one by one, they walked away. That was the Lion—fearless, just, and unwavering in truth.
But that’s only half the story. Jesus is also the Lamb of God. Where the Lion shows His strength, the Lamb reveals His heart.
He knelt to wash His disciples’ feet (John 13:12–15)—taking the position of a servant. He touched the untouchable, healing lepers (Mark 1:40–42) and comforting the broken. He wept with those who grieved (John 11:35). He welcomed children (Matthew 19:14), spoke gently to the outcast, and offered forgiveness where others demanded judgment.
And ultimately, like a lamb led to the slaughter, He gave Himself willingly on the cross (Isaiah 53:7). No resistance. No defense. Just love.
The same Jesus who turned over tables also stretched out His hands to be nailed to a Roman cross.
The Lion and the Lamb—power and humility, justice and mercy—perfectly held together. Just like March, Jesus doesn’t fit into only one description. He is both the storm and the stillness. The roar and the whisper. The righteous King and the sacrificial Savior.
And maybe that’s what I’m meant to remember as this month closes. Life has its lion moments—loud, overwhelming, and sometimes a little frightening. But it also has its lamb moments—gentle, warm, and full of peace. And through it all, Jesus is present in both.
Scripture beautifully captures this dual nature of Christ in one powerful moment:
“Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed…” (Revelation 5:5) Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain…” (Revelation 5:6)
In heaven’s throne room, Jesus is revealed as both Lion and Lamb—victorious and yet sacrificial. His strength is not separate from His gentleness; it is expressed through it.
And perhaps one of the most comforting promises for our own “lion” seasons comes from Jesus Himself:
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
The Lion has already won. And the Lamb has already made a way.
So whether you find yourself in the storm or in the stillness, you can rest in this truth:
He is both powerful enough to carry you through—and gentle enough to hold you along the way.