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Nurtured by Courage
“What times I am afraid, I will trust in God.” That seems to be more often than not, in these days. Much of what fuels the cultures of our world systems is fear. Entire economic strategies succeed or fail, based largely on fear. Media are more ‘fear-mongers’ than reporters or outlets of truth. Entire people groups are controlled, used, and abused by intimidators.
Political campaigns are won or lost according to who is better at promoting fear; not who is the best candidate. Fear has always been the main strategy of the enemy of our souls-Satan! His only hope of keeping anyone duped into believing his sad, desperate lies is to create a mirage that Papa is uncaring, unable or unwilling to be our loving advocate. How do we muster the courage that is required to face down fear?
Let me suggest the ‘Abraham’ approach. You know the story. God asked him to trust him and sacrifice his only son Isaac as a burnt offering of worship.
“The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac. Then he chopped wood for a fire of burnt offering and set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day of their journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”
So Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them walked on together, Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”
“God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.
When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. At that moment the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes,” Abraham replied, “Here I am.”
“Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the Angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”
Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son.” Genesis 22:3-13, N.L.T.
A dear one recently shared what was the key for them to face down fear with courage. “Abraham did not look at the knife; he only looked in reverence and obedience into the face of God. When he did; the knife, the fire, and the wood for a burnt offering became a type of Jesus. Otherwise, they were a mirage, a lie from Satan. Abraham knew God would be his provider. He didn’t fear the mirage; he saw Jesus (the total provision of God) and feared God!”
Wow! God always provides what was already there in his heart. The fear or seeming lack is the mirage. When we look only to him, we will see the provision. Even if it is at the last moment. Don’t fall for the fear trap. Don’t fear, fear. Fear God and live in the fullness of his provision every moment. You will be nurtured by the courage to see Jesus in everything!
In the grip of Papa’s providing Grace! Ron Ross