TODAY IS…

a fine day to be strong and courageous.

“Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord.”  Psalm 31:24 NASB

Many of us are familiar with the famous movie lion who sought courage. He went on a journey with Dorothy and her dog, the man made of tin, and the man made of straw. Following the yellow brick road to a whimsical city, each one brought their request to the powerful wizard who they were told could help them.

Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

We do not need wizards in whimsical cities to overcome our fear, and President Roosevelt was correct in his assertion. But if wizards can’t give us courage, where do we find the courage to face the fears that President Roosevelt spoke of?

Almost every person reading these words will immediately answer, in their own minds, “God! We get our courage from God.”

We know where to go to find the courage we need. We really do.

Why then do we seem to be so afraid to say and do the right thing so often in our lives? It is true that we are merely human beings and we are flawed, but “As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is flawless; He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.” (Psalm 18:30 NIV).

Far too often we shrink away from things we see around us that are wrong. Our justification is that “It is none of my business.”

In many cases, if we are to search our hearts for the truth, we will discover that at the root of our inaction lies fear. We are simply afraid to speak up or to step in. It is safer to “not get involved.”

What we should do is make God our shield and do the right thing.

The Lord gives us the knowledge of the difference between right and wrong, so we can see when there is something that we should do something about. It is our faith in God that fills us, “So we can say with confidence, ‘the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man to do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:6 NIV).

Sometimes it takes courage to simply have faith. We turn to God and ask for the courage to believe, and with that belief we boldly confront whatever it is that we are afraid of, knowing that God is with us.

Our strength and our courage come from God and He is always ready to stand with us, to help us speak up, and to help us step in.

Put your hope in the Lord. The courage you need is in you, and He can show you where to find it.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson