Courageous

That word is one that I think all men would like ascribed to them. It's an adjective that means, "possessing or characterized by courage; brave". What man wouldn't want to be called that?

I look at history and see countless examples of courage. I've noticed most people have one genre of illustrations that everything goes back to, for me it's battle, so that's where I'm coming from.

About a year ago a team of US Navy SEALS stormed a compound and killed the worlds most wanted man. We heard about that mission because of who they were after. But all around the world teams of SEALS do missions like that everyday that we never hear about. They are the most elite commandos in the world, and daily they risk their lives to help make the world a safer place. They are courageous.

D-Day was a week ago today, talk about courage. Men getting on boats to storm a heavily defensed beach in France in what was really the last chance to stop Hitler. They put their lives on the line, many of them gave their lives, so that a terrible evil could be stopped. They were courageous.

Let's jump back a couple thousand years to a narrow coastal passage in Thermopylae, Greece. It was there in 480 BC that a few thousands Greeks, (History mainly focuses on the 300 Spartans that were there) stood against a force nearly ten thousand times their size, and did battle with them for three days protecting Greece. They were courageous

I'm in the book of Joshua now, and I look at a leader who had big sandals to fill. He had to follow Moses, one of the most respected leaders in history. His career was marked with battle after battle. From the time Israel left Egypt until he died Joshua was fighting someone. And in between the battles he was leading people that gave Moses a hard time. He was courageous

From there let's jump forward a little to Jesus. Talk about courage, He was marked for death, and yet He rides into Jerusalem during Passover, the biggest week of the year for the Jews, publicly on a donkey. He knows the cross is waiting for Him. He knows the beating and suffering, the pain that comes with the cross, and He boldly rides into Jerusalem. In the Gethsemane He gave Himself to those who had come to take Him. He took the beating, carried the cross, received the nails, and hung there and died to pay for sin. He was courageous.

I look at all these stories and if I'm honest part of me is ashamed. What have I done that required half of the courage of these men? I've never served in the military, I've never stood on a battle field to fight for freedom, I've never stormed a beach or taken a city. I don't know that I've ever faced impossible odds, and I've never faced a literal cross.

But now I feel the need for courage. God has laid something on my heart for several years now. It isn't time yet, but I know it's coming, and honestly I'm a bit scared. I don't know how to do what He's asking. I see everything about me that I lack to do the job. I see all the ways I haven't been prepare for this. And at the same time I have a burden for it, I have a desire for it. This thing needs to happen, and God is asking me to play a part in it. I have to be courageous.

God told Joshua in chapter 1 verse 9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

With that I hear the same call on my life, "Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? I made you a man, a warrior, just as I am. You were made for this battle field. Do not tremble or be dismayed, because I will be with you wherever you go. I am leading you into this battle, and I will be by your side every step of the way. Be strong and courageous."

Pray for the courage we will need to undertake this mission. Pray for the training and the people to come along side. Pray for the provision my wife and I will need to do what God is asking us to do. And above all, pray that God will be glorified by everything that is done.

To God alone be the Glory!

Peace be with you