Courage— the ability to do something that frightens one.
Courage— strength in the face of pain or grief.
Where do you need courage right now?
Let’s face it— there are a lot of scary events happening right now in our world. Afghanistan is in turmoil. The Delta variant is surging. All of this can seem overwhelming and discouraging— how should Christians respond? For the next three weeks, we will study what the Bible says about courage. I believe courage is an attribute that is deeply needed right now as we face the challenges of the day.
We’re going to start with a passage from Joshua.
Joshua was Moses’ successor. He was tasked with leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. There was a problem— the Promised Land was occupied and dangerous. Joshua’s task was going to be difficult and dangerous— and would require courage. Could he lead his people, even when internally fearful? Could he step up to the task when he felt like shrinking into the background?
When we have to do things that require courage, it may be tempting to delay them, avoid them, or even run in the opposite direction. I’m sure Joshua was tempted to do these things. In this time of fear, God spoke to Joshua.
On the eve of entering the Promised Land, God said to Joshua…
“Be strong and very courageous.”
-Joshua 1:7
Strength and courage— two attributes Joshua will need to face the challenges in front of him. We need these too. Strength over weakness. Courage over fear. Sounds good, right? But where do strength and courage come from?
The verse goes on…
“Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
-Joshua 1:7-8
The “law of Moses” and the “Book of the Law” refer to the early sections of the Bible. God is telling Joshua that his strength will come from following God’s Word. His courage will come from meditating on all that God has said.
This is true for us, too!
Our strength will not come from worrying about tomorrow. Our courage will not come from doom scrolling through the news.
Our strength and courage will come from God.
The next time you need to face something challenging, open up the Bible. Allow God’s Word to strengthen you from the inside out. Whether it’s reading through the Psalms, reading a Gospel, or starting at the beginning— find some way to immerse yourself in Scripture.
Be strong and courageous in the face of the challenges of our day.
See you on Sunday!
-Pastor David
