Take Courage! Part 1

So often throughout the ministry of Jesus, He told people to take courage.

“But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

Matthew 14:26-27 ESV

The ESV Bible version translates courage here as ‘heart’. Take heart, take courage. The NKJV ‘be of good cheer’.

The word courage in Greek voices a summons to inward confidence that rests on an external source—‘God’s saving presence’. The verb never depicts self-generated optimism; it always arises from a word or act of the Lord that decisively removes the cause of fear.

In very difficult times and circumstances it can be almost impossible for us to have any kind of courage or cheer or thought that there is no danger.

The disciples were in great danger in this passage in the book of Matthew, and the last thing they probably needed was seeing someone looking like a ghost walking toward them. The fear they were already feeling only intensified at what they saw. It’s not until Jesus speaks that the fear begins to subside.

As people heard the gunshot that ended the life of Charlie Kirk, people ran and scattered fearing for their lives. Who can blame them? What a shocking sickening situation and what a tragic devastating day for Charlie Kirk’s family, friends and followers.

In an interview posted a few weeks earlier Charlie was asked what he wanted to be remembered for if he died. His answer was clear and simple. He wanted to be remembered for the courage he had for his faith.

He certainly was someone who seemed to have no fear in the face of opposition. He would speak loudly, clearly, boldly but respectfully for what he believed to be truth, the truth of the Bible.

If there’s one thing that Christians need to have to truly follow Jesus it is courage. It takes courage to follow Him especially when you are faced with hostility, when faced with suffering, when faced with death.

Christians around the world lose their lives everyday simply because they profess the name of Jesus. They could renounce their faith and continue living on this earth, but their faith in Christ is so so important to them that they have the courage to stand up in the face of adversity and say no. They would rather live eternally in His presence than renounce Him and live this life.

We, as a family, have had to take courage in our situation. It was incredibly tough in those early days and weeks following our son’s accident. But somehow we took courage as we tried to rest on God’s help, strength and presence in the situation. We still do need to take courage each and every day knowing that God’s saving presence is with us.

As we pray for Charlie Kirk’s family and friends we pray that they too may have courage to keep going. I’m confident that is what Charlie would want for them.

I know that God does amazing things when people take courage and press on in spite of the pain. Yes, we have to mourn and grieve in the pain, but in the midst God is continually saying to each and every one of us, “Take Courage”.

I believe there is such a thing as a comfortable faith. In many ways it is comfort that is stripping the Church in the West of its real power. We need to be a people of faith that is real, that has substance and is willing to give up everything and anything for the cause of Christ.

We will continue looking at this important subject of courage next time.

Prayer: Dear Lord, We are thankful that You are the God who meets us in our trials. You tell us to take courage because You don’t leave us alone, You draw alongside us to help in our time of need and we thank You. Amen