During 1984 (in Canada’s Northwest Territories), while preparing for a historic walk to the North Pole, an arctic explorer had a sudden attack of fear when he noticed tracks in the snow, and recognized them as belonging to arctic wolves! As he climbed the mountain the wolf prints disappeared. However, he still sensed an eerie presence. Something was watching him! Suddenly the explorer was stunned by a rush of fur that flashed by his face. Wolves? No–musk oxen! The shaggy animals swiftly formed a defensive circle. They stood shoulder to shoulder, facing forward with their heads and horns lowered. The young calves huddled safely in the center of their impenetrable wall. The awestruck explorer hastily retreated down the mountainside.
Along the way he again noticed the wolf prints. After four hours of struggling through the snow, the ex hausted explorer reached his snowmobile. Now he was safe, he thought. His base camp was still 26 miles away. In fear and apprehension he turned the ignition key. He revved up the engine and started out over the white expanse of barren tundra and frozen lakes. A half-mile from camp, out of the corner of his eye he spotted a bolt of white fur on the move. Arctic wolves — running full speed at him! Under full throttle he sped toward his camp. Glancing back, he saw that the wolves were closing in on him. As he roared into the lonely camp, he hit the kill-switch and dashed into his flimsy shelter. He blocked the door and peered through the small window of his shack. Only five feet away stood the huge wolves. Their fearless expressions sent waves of terror up and down his spine. He knew that it would have been no contest between himself and just one wolf. His knees shook uncontrollably for an hour as the wolves encircled the cabin. During the four-day siege, the explorer began to understand why the wolf tracks had stopped on the mountainside. The wolves were no match for the combined protection that the musk oxen gave to each other. But the wolves were fearless against one man who tried to make it on his own.
Herein is the lesson — God never meant for us to face the “wolves” of life alone. Rather, we are to unitedly find the needed protection from the evil and danger around us within the community of faith, indeed, there is danger in trying to make it on our own.
