Be strong and courageous...

 Be strong and courageous.....words I have often heard from the Bible.  Upon looking I see where they are repeated eleven times in the Old Testament as God spoke to His people.

Two of our grandsons competed in wrestling at the high school level this winter.  After watching their matches I realized that they had to be very strong and courageous.  As they wrestle they couldn't stall or just hold their own but they had to go forward and try to get new holds on their opponents so they could obtain points or get a pin for themselves.  To do this they had to risk losing points or possibly getting pinned themselves.  

Recently I was with Gail at a roping competition.  When the ropers (a header and a heeler) catch their steers quickly enough they get to come back to a final round, called the short go. Gail had been roping well and was in the short go.  I was so nervous!  Almost as nervous as when I watch an action-packed movie!!  I thought to myself that I needed to be strong and courageous to watch! (Sorry what a silly thing to be nervous about but I was! Gail works so hard at his roping sport and I so want/wanted him to get a sweet win for his hard work.)  Any, I was nervous!

I mentioned this to our daughter, Lindy.  She said, "Yes, we all have to be strong and courageous in our lives."  Lindy is a nurse in the ICU at our local hospital.  She had to draw upon her courage to give someone a difficult IV that day. Gail had been strong and courageous to enter the roping competition.  Other family members or friends were strong and courageous at their jobs.  Do you have something staring you in the face that is causing you to need to be strong and courageous? Is there someone or something at work causing you to fear?  Is it a decision you need to make about yourself or your spouse's future?  Is it a business decision? 

We all have times and things we face that require courage.  We CAN have the courage if we know the Lord.  He is with us and will give us all the power we need to face the situation or task. He also is sovereign and in control. 

I have been recently reading about faith, more specifically the faith of Abraham.  He had faith in God and because of his faith, he was able to trust God and live in obedience to Him.  Because of his faith, he was able to do good works.  James 2: 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works.  

Thinking through all of this I am reminded that I do have faith in God, that I can trust Him to be with me, that he will never leave me, and that I can be strong and courageous in whatever He calls me to do.  You can do this too!! If we have faith in God, we can trust Him to take care of us. Our works can show our faith is on solid ground and we can be strong and courageous.