Never Being Abandoned or Forsaken

Hearing the word ‘abandoned,’ what comes to mind? Maybe a long-cherished dream being abandoned when it no longer seems attainable? Or perhaps the image of a car abandoned by its driver after it becomes stuck in a flooded roadway? Most often we think of being abandoned in a relational sense.

 

We might hear a disturbing report about an infant that has been abandoned. Recently I read about a baby just days old that had been left in a car seat along a busy highway. A first responder driving by saw it and immediately stopped, putting the child in his vehicle and taking it to a safe place to receive care while authorities tried to identify and locate its mother. What possesses someone to forsake their own child in such a manner? 

 

Sadly, this isn’t the only kind of abandonment people experience. Long after memories of the ‘I do’s’ have faded, a husband abandons the wife of his youth. A father – or sometimes a mother – abandons their children, choosing instead the ‘pursuit of happiness,’ whatever they think that is. Family ties can be easily loosened for any number of reasons.

 

What about the BFF (best friend forever) who one day turns his or her back on us? Even in the workplace we might feel the pain of abandonment when told we’re no longer needed, forced into early retirement, or see long-expected promotion go to someone else. We can always count on people – until we can’t.

 

As a consequence, many folks go through their adult years with dysfunctional attitudes toward relationships. Personal experience has taught them that ‘everlasting love’ doesn’t last as long as one might suppose. For that reason, they’re reluctant to risk long-term commitments with anyone.

 

Most unfortunate is how such relational trauma can affect them spiritually. When hearing a sermon about their “heavenly Father,” instead of joy they feel only cynicism. They can’t help but relate that to an earthly father who abandoned them. If God is a Father, they reason, He’s probably just like their unfaithful dad, only bigger.

 

Perhaps this is why God’s promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” is repeated so many times in the Scriptures. He wants His children to know that no matter what, He will never abandon them.

 

We read this declaration in Deuteronomy 31:6, as Moses knows his time for leading the Israelites is nearing an end. Drawing from his own experience in depending on the Lord for more than 40 years, being delivered through one crisis after another, he urges them, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

 

Moses then spoke directly to his successor, Joshua, giving him the same assurance: “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8). 

 

After Moses died, to make sure Joshua hadn’t quickly forgotten this message, God reaffirmed His promise: “…As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). And for emphasis, the Lord rephrased His promise as Joshua embraced the daunting task of leading the wayward Israelites: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

 

We find similar assurances repeated in both the Old and New Testaments. Having experienced God being with him as a shepherd boy warding off predators, a bold warrior taking on the giant Goliath, confronting the jealous hatred of King Saul, and then facing challenges to his throne as king of Israel, David knew the Lord wouldn’t abandon him. In his best-known psalm, he wrote, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

 

As Solomon was preparing to succeed him as king, David echoed the words of Moses and others who had preceded Him: “[he] said to Solomon his son, ‘Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid of discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you before all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished’” (1 Chronicles 28:20).

 

Elsewhere in the Psalms we read, “…God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1). And the prophet Isaiah wrote often about God’s unwavering faithfulness to His people. Here are just two examples: 

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). 

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2).

 

Just moments before ascending to heaven, Jesus Christ found it important to quell any fears of abandonment among His disciples. After giving them His commission to “go and make disciples of all nations…,” He promised, “And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

 

Without question, God’s faithfulness is a major point of emphasis in the Scriptures. As it should be. In times of adversity – serious illness, family challenges, financial hardship, or other crises – we’re tempted to wonder, “Lord, are you there?” Especially for the many who have experienced abandonment by spouses, parents, or others they had trusted, the Lord wants us to know that when He promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” His 'never' means…never. For now – and for eternity.

Overcoming the Fear of Aloneness

There’s a small minority of folks who are true “loners,” who prefer life totally apart from other people. But most of us, to one extent or another, need to be with people. Being alone can be a troubling, even fearful place. 

 

That’s understandable, because from the start we were designed for relationships. “The Lord said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable helper for him’” (Genesis 2:18).

 

No matter how young or old we are,
we all have need for relationships,
to not be alone.

So, when times of aloneness come, regardless of their cause, we can feel desperately isolated. We might have thousands of “friends” on social media, but that’s not what genuine relationships are about. There’s nothing like someone nearby “with skin on.” What can we do at times like that, when no one’s around? 

We might try repeating the mantra, “if it’s to be, it’s up to me,” but in most cases it’s better to be in tandem with someone else, whether it’s in marriage, parenting, playing sports, at work, traveling, or any other meaningful pursuit. As Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reminds us, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!... A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

 

We’re tempted to venerate the central characters in the Bible, as if they were super men and women who could take on any challenge without flinching. But not a single one of them was a ‘lone ranger.’ They had their anxious, fearful moments just as we all have. Especially when they felt alone.

 

After 40 years of leading the often rebellious, stiff-necked Israelites around the wilderness, the time had come for Moses to step aside. He would be permitted to view the Promised Land from afar, but because of earlier disobedience was prohibited by God from actually entering it. Joshua had been chosen as his successor. 

 

Can you imagine how Joshua must have felt, having to replace ‘the man, the myth, the legend’ who had always guided the people of Israel? After walking side by side with Moses for so many years, he would be alone. He might not have coined the phrase, but Joshua probably found himself often reciting, “It’s lonely at the top.”

 

Moses recognized this. Before passing the metaphorical baton, he told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them…. The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8).

 

To reinforce this admonition, God later spoke to Joshua Himself: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them…. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:2-5).

 

Then, having assured Joshua of His constant presence, the Lord exhorted him several times to “be strong and courageous.” The third time He elaborated, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:6,7,9).

 

In our everyday walk of faith, there are times for all of us when we too must be “strong and courageous.” Whether it’s opposition from people who believe differently from us, circumstances testing our convictions and values, conflict with family members and friends, or warding off temptations, we’re called to be strong and courageous in standing up for what we know is right.

 

The good news is we’re not alone. As God promised Moses, then Joshua, and many others throughout the Scriptures, we have the assurance that “the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 

 

This was one reason, moments before His ascension to heaven, Jesus told His disciples, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). After the confusion of His trial, His scourging and crucifixion, and then the euphoria of seeing Jesus resurrected from the dead, the disciples weren’t thrilled with the prospect of seeing Him leave them again. As God had promised the Old Testament patriarchs, Jesus was assuring His followers of being with them always, through His Spirit.

 

How else could they – and others who later would become stalwart followers of Christ and leaders of the early Church – have dealt with strong opposition, ridicule, beatings and stoning, and even death, unless the Lord had been with them, providing strength, comfort and hope in the midst of tribulation?

 

The apostle Paul acknowledged this in a very personal and honest letter to his protégé, Timothy: “At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me….” Can you imagine how alone and isolated he must have felt? However, Paul then added, “But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it” (2 Timothy 4:16-17).

 

What does this have to say for us today? It should give us the assurance and confidence that no matter what circumstances we face, whatever trials and obstacles we might confront, the Lord is with us. We can take heart in the words repeated in Hebrews 13:5 and other places in the Bible, “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Even in our lowest, most feeling-alone moments, the Lord has promised that He is with us.

Sometimes We Need to Be Encouraged to Have Courage

When you hear the word “courage,” what comes to mind? I think of a soldier bravely running to the aid of a wounded comrade on a battlefield, ignoring the hail of bullets all around him. I think of a firefighter entering a burning building to rescue someone trapped inside. I think of a parent jumping into a lake to save a drowning child, even though the parent is not a particularly good swimmer.

Perhaps some other images quickly come to your minds. However, demonstrations of courage don’t always involve life-and-death scenarios. We live in a day and time when great courage is needed – and too often lacking – in the face of the culture in which we live. 

 

Recently I read that a study by the respected Barna Research Group determined out of an estimated 155 million men and women in the American workforce, only about eight million live and perform their jobs with a biblical worldview. That’s just over five percent. Do you think it takes courage to hold true to one’s values and convictions – things like honesty, excellence, morality, integrity, compassion, hard work, humility, kindness and fairness – in a working environment when such virtues are often ignored or even discouraged?

 

We find ourselves in environments where the reasonable exchange of ideas and opinions has come under fire. “Dissenters” being “cancelled,” a contemporary equivalent of being shunned, simply for holding views contrary to the prevailing narrative. Do you think it requires courage to stick to one’s guns (perhaps literally as well as figuratively) and not cower in the face of societal pressures?

 

One criterion for being a fruitful and consistent follower of Jesus Christ is courage. His disciples had it 2,000 years ago, and we need it as well. One definition of courage is “mental or moral strength, to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.” Being a person of faith on many settings – college campuses, in the marketplace, the entertainment world, and yes, politics – can pose a severe test of one’s courage.

 

This is hardly a new development. In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, Moses was preparing to pass the baton on to his protégé, Joshua, designated to complete the mission of leading the people of Israel into the Promised Land. Many hostile groups of people already inhabited that lush territory, so Moses wanted to be sure Joshua was ready for the assignment.

 

First, he reminded the Israelites of what God had already done in delivering them from Egypt and providing for their needs during 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Moses sought to encourage them with these words: “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

 

Then, knowing God forbade him from personally leading them into the Promised Land, Moses turned and spoke directly to their new leader, Joshua: “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them…. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8).

 

After Moses had died and the Israelites eagerly awaited their marching orders, God made certain Joshua had gotten the message. “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead this people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go…. Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:6-9). 

 

In many parts of the world where Christ’s followers face daily persecution, these words are as crucial as they were when Joshua and the people of Israel heard them thousands of years ago. For our believing brothers and sisters in other lands, courage is indeed a matter of life and death. The potential for becoming martyrs for their faith is an everyday reality.

 

The level of spiritual opposition hasn’t increased to that level in our nation. Not yet. But on many fronts, followers of Christ are being ridiculed, challenged, sued, and even imprisoned because of unwavering commitment to biblical values and standards they hold dear.

 

I suspect that unless God ignites a massive spiritual awakening in America, persecution will escalate dramatically, perhaps sooner than we could imagine. If and when that occurs, we’ll face a choice: One is to compromise or renounce our faith, knowing that Jesus warned, “whoever denied Me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). Or we can resolve to remain true to our faith, regardless of the ramifications. Be strong and courageous!

Escaping the Confines of One’s Comfort Zone

“He’s (or she’s) in the zone.” Have you heard that before? Maybe you’ve even said it about yourself, that you’re totally focused on a particular project or task. “In the zone,” I’ve found, often is a good place to be. But there are many other kinds of zones – time zones, residential and commercial zones, no-fly zones, relationship zones. Even something we call “comfort zones.”

 

Most of us like our comfort zones. They’re familiar, predictable, safe. We can establish secure, clearly defined boundaries, manage expectations, and generally reap expected results. The risks of failure and disappointments can be kept at a minimum. So, what’s not to like about comfort zones?

 

For one thing, they can become tedious, even boring. They might cause us to settle for things easily within our reach. The routine of making the same widgets day after day might seem risk-free, but life and work should amount to more than making widgets. 

 

Another drawback of comfort zones is they might prevent us from experiencing – and enjoying – the unknown and untried. We might have no idea what we’re missing unless we attempt to discover what it could be. You can’t learn to swim unless you’re willing to jump into the pool.

 

But perhaps the greatest criticism of a life confined to a comfort zone is succinctly expressed by speaker, author and leadership coach, Tim Kight: “Nothing great ever happened in the comfort zone.” 

 

What if people like Thomas Edison and others had remained comfortable with gas lights, or even torches? Those provided illumination, but not the convenience, efficiency or safety of incandescent lights and lighting innovations that have followed. Brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright refused to be discouraged by naysayers who insisted, “Man will never fly”? If not for them, we might still be trying to cross country in trains – or even wagon trains.

 

We commonly think of peanuts as snacks removed from a shell, can or jar, or peanut butter (smooth or crunchy, your choice). But in the early 1900s, George Washington Carver, born into slavery, wanted nothing to do with any kind of comfort zone. Instead, he applied his genius to developing hundreds of products using peanuts, as well as sweet potatoes and soybeans. He also was a stalwart advocate of crop rotation and agricultural education. 

 

Being averse to comfort zones isn’t limited to those who answered the adage, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Explorer Christopher Columbus gave vivid picture of the pitfalls that can result from remaining nestled in one’s comfort zone. He famously said, “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

 

Long before that, however, people were learning the pros and cons of comfort-zone life. The Bible gives dozens of examples. There was Abram (later called Abraham), called by God to leave the friendly confines of Haran. The Lord instructed him, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing…all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1-2).

 

That must have sounded like a wonderful promise, but God hadn’t told Abram where He was sending him, how long it would take to get there, or how this “great nation” would come about. Abram trusted the Lord, left the Haran comfort zone, and hit the road with his wife, Sarai, nephew Lot, their servants and possessions. Joseph, Daniel, Jesus’ disciples, even the apostle Paul responded in similar ways.

 

Among the strangest examples were the Israelites, freed after four centuries of bondage in Egypt. We might think people escaping inconceivably oppressive slavery would never look back, for even a second, but for them that wasn’t the case.

 

Wandering around the desert weeks after waving good-bye to captivity, the Israelites began to grumble to their leader, Moses: “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death” (Exodus 16:3). Even after God miraculously provided them with manna, quail, and water from a rock, they continued to favor hindsight over foresight, becoming shortsighted.

 

What does it take to step boldly out of one’s comfort zone to face the challenges of an uncertain but promising future? In a word, courage. 

Following the death of Moses, God selected Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Recognizing the daunting task of guiding a rebellious people, the Lord gave Joshua these instructions:

”Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go…. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:6-9).

What great things might God have in store for you, if only you’re willing to step outside your own comfort zone? Like Joshua, be strong and courageous! 

Life Begins at the End of the Comfort Zone

Some people are natural-born risk takers. They’re the ones who eagerly cast caution to the wind and pursue dreams, hopes, even crazy notions. For them, life isn’t fun unless you’re living on the edge.

I’m not one of them. My preference is to stick with the tried and familiar, at least until everyone else has demonstrated the coast is clear and it’s safe to proceed. But I do have great respect, even admiration, for those who aren’t averse to venturing out into the unknown. At least what’s unknown to them.

There are pros and cons for both approaches to life, I suppose. “It’s better to be safe than sorry,” the adage goes. But its counterpart is if you insist on staying safe, you might eventually be sorry you didn’t try venturing outside your comfort zone.

Even as a card-carrying member of the safe-not-sorry crowd, I’ve discovered this to be true. Back in the mid-1980s, I was happily tapping away on my electric typewriter when a trusted friend who was an Apple computer dealer called one day. “Do you have a computer?” he asked, suggesting I needed one for my writing and editing. I responded simply, “No.” What I was thinking was, “Why would I want a computer? My typewriter works perfectly fine.” 

But he insisted and about a week later a Macintosh 512k computer arrived at my office. Initially I was hesitant, as if it were going to bite me or something. But I plugged it in, followed the instructions, and started it up to give it a try. As the French say, “Voila!” Within minutes I discovered I had entered uncharted territory and, wonder of wonders, it was greater than I could have imagined. A couple of days later, my old electric typewriter and I parted company, never to be reunited.

This seems ridiculous today. Who can do without a computer if you’re in the business world? And that first computer I used qualifies as a low-tech dinosaur today. But at the time it seemed a huge step of faith for me.

Technology is an easy example of leaving one’s comfort zone, as when I also discovered the new world of digital photography. Never again would I lack a good answer when someone asked, “Did you get any good pictures?” I can think of a different example, however, of when I relinquished safe-not-sorry for an adventure beyond country and culture.

In 1999, I was working with CBMC International and my boss said he wanted me to take a trip to Brazil to see how I might help the ministry there. Again, not an opportunity I was inclined to leap at. I had traveled to other countries – in Europe, Mexico, Venezuela, even Canada. But I’d never gone where I didn’t have someone I knew to serve as my guide. I couldn’t speak Portuguese, and the plane flight itself would be about 10 hours!

My boss insisted, however. So I obtained the necessary visa, scheduled my flight and arranged to meet with some people there who were strangers. As it turned out, my time in Brazil was one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had. Over the days I spent in Sao Paulo, Vitoria and Curitiba I met many delightful people, some of whom I stay in contact with to this day. And when I left, I felt God had used me in a special way. I even made a second trip there a couple years later.

These and other experiences hardly turned me into an impulsive, spontaneous risk-taker. Slow, steady and cautious remain my bywords when considering anything outside my comfort zone. But I’ve discovered that in many ways, life begins outside our comfort zone.

That was definitely the case for Abram, who was enjoying a cushy existence in Haran. God must have thought that he, then 75 years old, and his wife, Sarai, were getting too comfortable. Unexpectedly, “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you'” (Genesis 12:1). The text doesn’t say this, but I imagine Abram responded with – or at least thought – the equivalent of, “Say what? Seriously?”

But God promised him, even though he and Sarai had no children at that point, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you. I will make your great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3). History has shown that promise was fulfilled and continues to this day.

Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah) did set off and began an adventurous trek to Canaan, by way of Egypt and a couple of cities named Sodom and Gomorrah. They had a son named Isaac, who had a son named Jacob (later renamed Israel), and through his sons – Abraham’s great-grandsons – the nation of Israel was born. The fact that there is an Israel today, re-established in 1948, is no accident.

This doesn’t mean that as followers of Jesus Christ we’re commanded to always be reckless risk-takers. But when God is leading, and impresses us through His Spirit that it’s time to move, we dare not answer, “No way, Yahweh!” Over and over in the Scriptures, God’s people are commanded, “Be strong and courageous.” Generally this means, “C’mon, it’s time to leave your comfort zone. I have something special in mind, something you wouldn’t even believe if I told you. I’ve got your back!”

We can see this happening repeatedly through the Scriptures. And if we’re willing to trust the Lord and stick our noses out of our comfort zone, we’ll see it happening often in our lives as well.

It’s Time for Being Strong and Courageous

Over my years of reading the Bible I have learned a lot of things, but one of the most important is this: When God repeats something several times, pay attention. He wants to make a point, and doesn’t want us to miss it. For example: 

In giving the Ten Commandments, the Lord starts eight of them with “You shall not….” (Or, if you prefer KJV phraseology, “Thou shalt not….") It’s evident these are things He doesn’t want us to do. Also, reading the classic passage that conveys how God intended for us to relate to one another, we’re told repeatedly what love is – or at least what it’s supposed to be. “Love it patient, love is kind…always protects, always trusts always hopes, always perseveres…” (1 Corinthians 13:4-13). This repetition isn’t just for clever literary effect.

So recently as I read the conclusion of the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy and the start of the next one, Joshua, I took note when I saw one particular admonition being repeated: “Be strong and courageous.” 

As Moses was preparing to pass the leadership to Joshua, he knew the current residents of the Promised Land – Canaan – didn’t figure to be sending out welcoming committees. No one was displaying “Can’t we all just get along” bumper stickers on their chariots. So Moses told his people, “The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you and you will take possession of their land” (Deuteronomy 31:3). 

This ragtag horde of Israelites had gone through a lot, and God had come through for them in every crisis. But time and again they had proved themselves short on faith and long on disobedience. So crossing the Jordan River didn’t mean they’d be home free. What Moses did next was instructive, not only for the people of Israel but also for those who seek to follow the Lord today.

He exhorted them, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). Moses hardly took a breath before repeating it to the man God had chosen as his successor: “Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them…. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged’” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8).

So what does this have to do with us? The ancient Israelites lived in a very different time, of course, but their circumstances were perilous and tumultuous, not unlike what we’re facing today. Joseph had the Egyptians to deal with, David had Goliath, and Daniel had the Babylonians. In the 21^stcentury, we have our own “Egyptians,” Goliaths and “Babylonians.”

Violence seems to dominate the newscasts just about every night. The other night, I counted four rapid-fire news stories about local tragedies before the news anchors let the meteorologist give a brief weather report. Wars big and small rage around the globe. Protests and unrest are exploding on every continent. The foundations of our nation seem under siege. Beliefs and principles many of us hold dear are being assailed. These days it seems up has become down; down is up.

How should we react? We could take lessons from nature and, like an ostrich, stick our heads into the sand. Or retreat into our shells like a turtle and hope all the bad stuff goes away. 

A better option would be to take our cues from the Scriptures, muster up our courage and face the hostile world around us in ways Jesus would. With love and compassion, but also with unwavering courage. 

Long before He took on human form in the tiny town of Bethlehem, Jesus received this prophetic description: "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem” (Isaiah 53:3). Talk about not receiving a friendly welcome!

Then in Hebrews 4:15 we read, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin." Any time we want to complain, “But Lord, You just don’t understand,” He can reply, “Oh, yes, I definitely do.”

When terrifying circumstances of life press in on us, or we find ourselves perplexed by the chaos that threatens to overwhelm our society, we can do as Moses instructed his fellow Israelites, “be strong and courageous.” Because that’s exactly what Jesus did, and He promised, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Being Strong and Courageous

If someone came alongside of you, put an arm around your shoulders and said, “Be strong and courageous,” how would you react? Would you say, “Thanks, that sounds like a great idea!” or would you reply, “Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea what I’m facing?”

Over the years a number of people have called me an encourager. I appreciate the compliment, even though I’m not sure it’s always true. The Bible teaches all followers of Christ are bestowed with spiritual gifts, and I do think a gift I have is encouragement. However, as is often the case, a strength can also become a weakness.

Most days I feel encouraged and optimistic, and try to pass that perspective along to others. But sometimes it seems discouragement lurks just outside my door, eager to pounce whenever the opportunity presents itself. I can be cruising along, enjoying my rose-colored glasses view of life, when something happens and BOOM, I’m hyper-discouraged.

Being strong and courageous requires more
than flexing well-toned muscles.

One definition of the word encourage is to “inspire with courage, spirit, or hope.” This makes sense, because when I’m being encouraged by someone else, it takes more than a “don’t worry, be happy” type of exhortation. It’s the act of imparting courage – because often that’s exactly what circumstances demand.

Amid the chaos of this thing we affectionately call “life,” at times it requires courage just to get out of bed and confront the day. Then, after turning on the morning news, we need courage to resist the temptation to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over our heads!

As I recently began reading the Old Testament book of Joshua, it was interesting to see things haven’t changed in the thousands of years since that narrative took place. The Israelites were about to realize the promise God had made 40 years earlier, entering the Promised Land and experiencing for the first time the “land of milk and honey.”

Many of the people of Israel imagined they’d soon be thinking, “We’ve got it made!” They would be leaning back in their recliners, sipping cool drinks, and proclaiming, “Ah, this is the life!” But God was saying, “Not so fast, my friends.”

Joshua had just succeeded Moses as the Israelites’ leader, and was about to command them to cross the Jordan River. But first God had a few choice words for Joshua, instructions he would need to follow more times than he could have guessed.

What did God say? “Be strong and courageous…. Be strong and very courageous…. Be strong and courageous.” Are you seeing a pattern here, that God had a point of emphasis He didn’t want Joshua – or the Israelites – to miss? This command appears three times within the first nine verses of the opening chapter of Joshua.

Why the repetition? Because the Israelites would certainly be entering a land overflowing with everything they needed, but it wouldn’t become theirs easily. They would encounter formidable opposition, other peoples not particularly thrilled with surrendering control of their good stuff.

So the Israelites and Joshua, as their leader, would definitely need to be strong and courageous. It might have been worthy of a picture postcard (if such things had existed then), but the Promised Land wasn’t a place for weak hearts – or weak knees. Interestingly, the people of Israel must have realized that as well. Upon affirming their commitment to follow Joshua, they also exhorted him to “be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:18).

Seems to me the Lord might be telling us the same thing. This was not a directive reserved only for itinerant Israelites. In His last days with the disciples, Jesus was telling them that very quickly “business as usual” for them would be over. His earthly ministry was about to end.

The disciples, clueless about the monumental events about to unfold, were distressed. Jesus told them to calm down: "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Turmoil enveloping our world can seem daunting, even overwhelming. Looking to our national and international leaders, can we be blamed for occasionally wondering whether all they’re doing is rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic? If ever there were a time that called for strength and courage, it’s now.

It’s the last portion of Jesus’ declaration that makes this more than Pollyanna thinking. After telling His followers to “take courage,” He added the assurance, “I have overcome the world.”

We therefore have a choice: We can accept what Jesus said as a promise and follow the exhortation of the apostle Paul, who wrote, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). Or we can dismiss it, arguing, “Jesus, You don’t understand what we’re up against here.”

I’m thinking that being strong and courageous – in His strength – is the better option.

Confusion About Courage?

Who knows how much courage this craft of war, the LST 325, carried
as the soldiers inside it prepared to storm the beaches of Normandy?

We hear a lot about “courage” these days: Athletes playing through nagging injuries: “Courageous.” Daredevils attempting outrageous stunts, hoping their YouTube videos will go viral: “Courageous.” Entertainer or celebrities making declarations outside the social norm: “How courageous!” people respond in unbridled admiration.

Maybe. Or maybe not. When conforming to nonconformity, as long-haired, bell-bottomed, tie-dyed, “far out, man!” hippies did in the 1960’s, how much “courage” does that require? If it’s “in” to do within your peer group, doesn’t it demand more courage not to do that thing?

When I think of legitimate courage, examples that come to mind are Branch Rickey, then owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play baseball in the Major Leagues. Their story was dramatized in the film “42,” but real life offered more than enough drama for them.

It was 1947, and Rickey decided to do the unthinkable – breaking the color barrier by bringing up Robinson, a member of the Negro League’s Kansas City Monarchs, to play second base for the Dodgers. Rickey had no doubts about Robinson’s athletic prowess, but could the young man withstand the pressure, prejudice and racial epithets to prove a black player could compete at baseball’s highest level?

And Robinson, of course, had to be willing to endure scorn and hatred as the target of mindless bigotry. He was alone. Crossing the boundary into an all-white sport and proving he belonged was hardly the “in” thing at that time. Together, Rickey and Robinson exemplified what true courage should look like.

Even at the controls of an anti-aircraft
gun, sailors must have felt very exposed.

Recently the LST 325 (Landing Ship, Tank) made a stop along the Tennessee River here in Chattanooga, another example of real courage. This stark gray, 330-foot craft was used to transport tanks, vehicles, cargo and military personnel during World War II, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars. Looking at this battle-scarred vessel, which landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, I couldn’t help but imagine the courage possessed by the hundreds of servicemen who left its austere bowels to storm the beaches on that fateful day. Many of them never left those shores alive.

One other example comes to mind: the Israelites poised to enter the Promised Land, leaving memories of slavery in Egypt behind and entering a foreign land to confront formidable foes and an unfamiliar environment. They had no Navy SEALS, Green Berets or Black Ops forces to neutralize and defeat the opposition. There were no Blackhawk helicopters hovering above to watch their backs, or even automatic weapons. All they had was faith and good old-fashioned “chutzpah” to press ahead.

Moses, who had led Israel out of Israel and around the wilderness for 40 years, had died, leaving his successor, Joshua, to complete the journey. Despite many miracles God had performed, the Israelites had cause for feeling apprehensive. Knowing this, God issued just one directive through their new leader. He instructed Joshua, “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them” (Joshua 1:6).

To ensure His message was understood, God repeated His command. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go” (Joshua 1:7).

Then for emphasis, God gave the command a third time: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Joshua passed these commands on to the people of Israel, who vowed to follow him and do as he instructed. Then they in turn exhorted their leader, “Only be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:18).

These words were spoken and written thousands of years ago, but remain just as relevant today for those that follow Jesus Christ. What daunting challenges, what formidable obstacles do you face today – at work, in your home or in some other area of your life? For what do you also need to be “strong and courageous”?

You might be thinking, “That sounds like a good idea. But easier said than done. How can I be courageous with what I’m facing?”

That’s a question many of us are asking, or will be asking at some point in the future. And in today’s turbulent times, with news bombarding us daily about terrorism, disease epidemics, severe weather and many other threats beyond our control, 21^st century living isn’t for the faint of heart. So again we ask, how can we be courageous?

Many times we can’t muster the strength, no matter how hard we try. That’s where faith comes in – the kind modeled decades ago by men like Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson, and probably many soldiers as they were leaving the LST to do battle with an unseen enemy.

We can find this courage as we trust in God, as King David wrote: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would find the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:13-14).