Take Courage
"What is the most courageous thing you've done?," my husband asks the congregation. We break into groups of two's and three's and tell each other our stories. We share with each other the times when we:
traveled to another country, obedient to God's leading
learned to speak in front of people
confronted someone
said "no"
took care of a mother in her last month of life
All moments of courage. Seasons of courage.
Jesus said in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but
TAKE COURAGE; I have overcome the world."
Take courage. It's not passive or laid back or waiting to see what will happen. No. Movement is connected with courage.
Take courage.
Be strong.
Take heart.
These are some of the words that Jesus uses and still uses today, when he asks us to "take courage," to do something for which we feel unprepared and unqualified.
This is the journey, the adventure of faith, we are called to.
When my husband asked the question, "What is the most courageous thing you've done?", I immediately thought of the following:
choosing pregnancy again after losing a baby.
I remember nine months of hanging onto courage, while dealing with incredible fear, because after experiencing the unthinkable, I knew there were no guarantees that I would hold another child in my arms.
Today as I am writing this blog, I have thought of two other personal examples of times I have had to TAKE COURAGE:
sending my children overseas - to Uganda and Colombia, Zambia and Mozambique, to work with AIDS orphans and street boys and tell people about the love of Jesus. Every time I pack their bags, I do it afraid. And I grab hold of courage.
taking college writing classes, pursuing a new skill in my 50's. This is the reality in which I am currently living. Sometimes I think I am insane to chase after a dream, but I am doing it, and at times I do it scared. Clueless. Not knowing what in the world I am doing.
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. -Anonymous
I like this quote from the famous author Anonymous. Too often I settle for the familiar and the comfortable and I find myself living small.
Comfort and courage. Both words have seven letters. Both words begin with the letter "c". Yet they are polar opposites. Courage is needed to live a large life.
When are the times we need to take courage?
Courage is needed:*
1. When faith needs to be exercised.
2. When God calls you on a task that seems impossible.
3. When despair sets in for a long time.
So how about it? Do you find yourself needing to exercise faith? Being called to an impossible task? Dealing with despair?
What has God told you to do that you are afraid to walk out? Where do you need to take courage?
________________________
* These 3 points are from my husband, Pastor Kevin Hartke. In fact, the entire premise for this blog is from a sermon he preached on March 18, 2012.
Other verses that use the phrase, "Take courage" --Haggai 2:4; Psalm 27:13-14; Matthew 14:26-27; Matthew 9:21-22; Acts 23:10-11.
The Take Courage print is found here: http://ariansstudio.blogspot.com/2010/12/take-courage.html. Artist, Adrian Armstrong, even has some free downloads on her site.