There is a need for courage today
Published 8:20 am Thursday, May 1, 2014
Every culture has flow; that is, there is change. If you do not like what is happening in the current course of things, you must decide to take a stand, change the course and interrupt the status quo. Rather than drifting downstream with the flow, it might be time to turn around and begin moving upstream, but that takes courage.
Change is risky. Courage is taking calculated risks to achieve a higher purpose.
There is an account in the Bible of extraordinary courage. We find it in the Old Testament book of I Samuel.
At that time, Saul was king of Israel, but Israel was under the domination of the Philistines. The Philistines’ power was so great that Israel’s army had been disarmed. There were only two swords in Israel: King Saul had one and his son, Jonathan, had the other one (I Samuel 13:22).
One day Jonathan and his armor bearer approached a Philistine garrison of armed soldiers. Jonathan was seeking an opportunity to see God work in mighty power (I Samuel 14:6). The armor bearer was willing to go with Jonathan.
The plan was for Jonathan and his comrade to show themselves to the Philistines. Jonathan had pre-determined if the Philistines invited him and his comrade up to their garrison that God would deliver this enemy troop into their hands.
They courageously walked out where the enemy could see them. The enemy invited them up. Jonathan and his comrade crawled up the steep hillside on their hands and knees in full view of the enemy (I Samuel 14:13).
A couple of arrows, well-thrown spears, or simply rolling a boulder down the hill would have wiped out Jonathan and his armor bearer, but they made it to the top. These two men acting in great courage in full dependence on Almighty God defeated twenty armed men. This small victory against huge odds rallied the armies of Israel and brought about the rout of the Philistine army (I Samuel 14:23).
The odds against us are never too great when we follow God, but it does take courage.
Dan Puckett works with road team operations at Life Action Ministries in Benton Harbor, Mich.
