"Courage"

Where are the men of courage,

The women true and strong,

Who love our tender Savior,

And stand against the wrong.

Not because they’re prideful,

Or judge their fellow man,

But because they’re mindful,

Of God and what He’s planned.

Fierce because they’re humble,

Graced because they’re low,

Because of God’s strong favor,

They make the devil go.

They speak the words of Jesus,

They say that He is Lord,

They put on all God’s armor,

And wield the Spirit’s sword.

They will not judge a brother,

Or with you find fault,

They know that it’s the Spirit,

When they do what they ought.

They forgive everybody,

Won’t let the sun go down,

Before they cast their anger,

On God’s altar down.

And when they get in trouble,

And trials knock at the door,

They still are praising Jesus,

And know what trouble’s for.

To learn to be like Jesus,

And learn to praise on through,

Disciplined by Daddy,

So they know what to do.

Where are the men of courage,

The women true and strong,

They are all around us,

And we to them belong.

“…Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power…” (Eph. 6:10, NLT).

Being strong isn’t easy. Why? Because everything that happens drains us of energy. We get exhausted and bummed out and turned off and…well, you know how it is. Yet we are called, invited and commanded to be strong in the Lord. In fact that’s the only real way to be strong. In Him. Being strong in Him means I learn to rely on the Spirit to do in me and through me what I don’t have the strength to do. Can I do that? Yes. Is it always an easy task? Nope, but it’s there nonetheless. Some of the greatest things I’ve ever seen people do, including myself, happened when they didn’t know how on earth they were going to make it happen. Yet it did, and obviously because the Lord came through for them. He is the source of our strength, and the One who clothes us with power. When we are weak, His strength can be make perfect. It’s true.

Lord, be strong in us and through us, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Tim Cox, timcox.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Tim, and God bless you.