Strong and Courageous

Friends, today it’s lemon infused water that I am sipping on, and it is so clean, crisp, and refreshing. It tastes like summer even when all the rainy weather has me wondering if we’re stuck in eternal spring. Regardless, you know what else is refreshing? This month’s promise! My soul is basking in the truth and promise contained in Deuteronomy 31:6 and Hebrews 13:5-6. No, I’m not all ambitious and tackling two promises this month. This promise is found in both the Old and New Testaments. I think it’s so cool that what is said in the Old Testament is often reiterated in the New Testament, further proving its value and significance.

So anyway, the text in Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” In this passage Moses is speaking to the Israelites and specifically Joshua, as Joshua is preparing to take over for Moses. These words come as much needed encouragement as the Israelites have their work cut out for them in conquering the land that the Lord promised to them. Not only is this a promise that the Lord will go with them and will never leave them, but also a command to be strong and courageous, and not to fear. I can imagine it would have been terrifying to be an Israelite at this point in history, but how satisfying to hear these words and know that the Lord was going before you and victory would be yours.

Now, in Hebrews 13:5-6 the writer of this book is going through a list of the things that God finds pleasing from His children. Here it says, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” The cross references in this passage are from Joshua 1:5, where God tells Joshua that He will never leave or forsake him, and the last quote is from Psalm 118:6. I am getting the idea that it is stated numerous times in Scripture that we should not fear because God will never leave us or forsake us.

Once again, not only is there a promise contained here that God will never leave us, but also a command to be strong and courageous, and fear not. I don’t know about you, but when I think of characteristics of myself I don’t often think of ‘strong’ and ‘courageous’. Instead, I often think of ‘timid’, ‘shy’, or ‘worrier’. But oh how wonderful it would be to have so much trust in the Lord and reliance on Him that I cannot help but to be strong and courageous! My mom and my aunt are two very courageous women that don’t seem to let anything scare them and they are willing to do whatever the Lord asks of them. That is the kind of woman I want to be. In fact, this is a lesson the Lord has been gently teaching this timid soul over the past few months. What do we have to be afraid of, dear friends? We are children of the King and more than conquerors! It’s time we start acting like it.