You Need Courage

‘‘I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain’’ Philippians 1:20-21

While growing up as a child, I used to be ashamed of going to places with my mum because of her physical disabilities. Sooner, I realized that my mum had gone through turbulence that never pulled her back, instead, she kept moving on.

Courage is the master driver that sets us up to keep moving on. For Christ to be exalted in my body, courage is what I need to exalt Christ in my body and gives me the assurance to stand no matter the consequences^__alive or dead.

For Paul to say that, ‘‘For me to live is Christ and to die is gain’’ comes from courage. It says that I have just one thing­­^__Christ is my goal^__as long as I live.

Courage never gives up. It never says no or yes to please. It does not look at faces. It never compromises.

With courage Abel offered a sweet sacrifice to Yahweh. With courage Enoch served the Lord and he was no more because God took him to heaven. With courage Noah built an ark to rescue the world from flood. With courage Abraham gladly offered the child of promise as sacrifice to God until God stopped him. With courage Joseph refused sex offer from his master’s wife. With courage David confronted Goliath in the name of the Lord of Israel and he succeeded. With courage Shedrack, Meshack, and Abednego were thrown into the furnace of fire. With courage Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den without wavering in his trust in Yahweh.

With courage Christ went all the way to Calvary and gave his life for us. With courage Stephen prays for the people who killed him. With courage the disciples and missionaries passed the gospel from generation to generation.

Courage gives us the boldness and confidence to do the work of the kingdom of God.