The Courage of Relationship

February 22

Courage is knowing what not to fear. Plato

Sometimes, regarding courage or its antithesis, fear, we KNOW what we should do, we simply can't appropriate the where-with-all to do what we know we must. How do we appropriate the courage to step out in faith when the Lord calls us to overcome opposing forces around us so His name will be glorified?

May we look to David, who as a boy confronted the giant Goliath with the words in I Samuel 17:26, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the Living God!” We can be emboldened when we know we are standing fast in the truth of the eternal God of our salvation!

David didn’t go forth in Saul’s helmet and armor which were offered to him because he had not proven them (See I Samuel 17:38, 39). He would not entrust his life or his success to the untried weapons that were placed at his disposal, though they were those of the king!

Nor did he go forth to meet Goliath with just his slingshot and his five round stones. David knew he didn’t need armor or sophisticated weaponry to overcome the foe. He did not rely on the weapons that had sufficed him as a shepherd (I Samuel 17:35). He needed only the Lord, and David knew he walked with Him continually.

Let us appropriate that steadfast courage that comes from relationship to our God and King, our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ that will embolden us to have courage for every trial and victory for every battle. Let us, like David, be people “after God’s own heart” (I Samuel 13:13, 14) so we may boldly proclaim Him before the giants in our lives that must fall before Him.