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Courage – Session Thirteen
In this session of Walking in the Light study the characteristic of Courage and the role it plays in our Christian life.
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
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”
1 Samuel 17:45
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Daniel 3:16–18
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus.
Matthew 14:29
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!”
Acts 5:29
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power… For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Ephesians 6:10, 12–13
Our passages look at different facets of Christian courage. The verse from Psalm 27 recommends cool courage that remembers not to panic – to wait… wait… and do everything in the Lord’s timing, listening and watching for his “Go!”
The Ephesians’ passage reminds us to have the courage not to get paranoid
about our fellow human beings, however they appal us. God is on the side of humanity; our neighbour isn’t the enemy; we must look deeper than that.
The verse from Matthew challenges us to have the courage to take risks.
The wonderful passage from Daniel holds up the example of men with the
courage to trust in God whatever life throws at them, whether they see a happy ending or whether they don’t. This is the courage we need when we watch a good life end with a grim cancer, or a faithful family sitting at the bedside of a dying child: “… the God we serve is able to deliver us from it… But even if he does not”, we stand firm in trusting him. This is courage.
O God, our rock, we know that you are always there for us and will never abandon us. It’s easy to say that in times of calm and peace, but we pray here today that when the storm hits our own little boat and it looks as if we will go under, you will give us grace then to go on trusting, and never let go of our faith in Jesus. Keep us strong, keep us loving, keep us faithful. May we never forget we asked this, and may we see it fulfilled in our lives: for we ask it in Jesus’ holy name; Amen.
