July 4th
Read: Psalm 27:14; Ezra 5:11; 1 Sam. 17:45; Judges 7:15; Dan. 3:17 & Dan. 6:16; Judges 16:28; Josh. 14:12; Esther 4:16
Courage, by definition, means fearlessness in danger. Scripture is full of examples of courage and of obstacles overcome. EZRA, when adversaries wrote to King Darius trying to stop the building of the temple, said, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth.” He knew that his waiting upon God as a servant does, getting close to Him, was an insurance when meeting adversaries in His service. DAVID, when Goliath challenged him, said, “I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts.” He knew that there was no giant greater in strength than his God. GIDEON, when going against the Midianites, who outnumbered his army, worshipped and said, “Arise, for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.” Gideon knew that numbers mattered little when God was in control of the battle.
SHADRACH, MESHAC, AND ABEDNEGO, as they faced the affliction of the fiery furnace said to the king, “Our God is able to deliver us.” Courage was their hallmark in affliction.
DANIEL prayed as usual under the persecution by government leaders. The king encouraged him in the den of lions with, “Thy God, whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee.”
Daniel’s consistent witness before the king in spite of persecution was his courageous act from a heart which waited on God. SAMSON, when facing death, said, “O LORD God, remember me, I pray; and strengthen me, I pray Thee, only this once.” He found courage in the last extremity of life. ESTHER, when facing Artaxerxes for her people, risking death, said, “If I perish, I perish.” She knew that her life was in the hands of the living God and was prepared to give everything in His service.
The very essence of courage is this: to be dead to self and alive unto God. Each of these people was a servant of God, trusted in the name of the Lord, and considered himself dead already to his own purpose. Do we have that sort of courage?
THE CRIMSON THREAD
A crimson thread is woven deep
In warp and woof of history’s page.
Its random pattern seems to creep
To surface during every age.
That bright filament doth intrude
On tapestry of ordered life,
Shocking to the eye when viewed,
Yet sanctified by martyrs’s strife.
The fabric that we weave even now
Has scarlet flecks that there record
The Christians who refuse to bow
To any save the Christ, their Lord.
Oh Christ, should my turn come some day
And my life’s thread must crimson be,
Let me to the end display
Thy courage and my love for Thee.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for all the examples of courage and obedience of Your servants unto death. Show me how to live for You and how to be willing to face death as they did . . . courageously.