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D0204

A sharing by Helen Chang for this song:

Whenever I came across the topic of being strong and courageous, naturally my mind would be drawn to the account of Joshua’s life in the Old Testament. His challenges in life were so great and unique that I used to think of them as being too high a standard for someone like me to emulate! Then as I came to read Paul’s exhortations to Timothy, I was also reminded of the various teachings of the Lord Jesus on the need to be gentle and meek, to be pure and be a peacemaker, to love God with all our hearts and minds and to love others as ourselves.

Actually as I ponder carefully on each of these, I realised that I could not even aim to be like that in any consistent manner without the grace and courage from God, and that this is only possible by His Spirit and in His abiding presence with me every day! I saw that when the commands were given to Joshua, God Yahweh also provided him with detailed guidelines in Joshua 1:6-9 (quoted in the lyrics of this song) such that it was possible for him to live a life full of courage to do God’s will. So this courage is not the kind for us to achieve any human goals because it is not motivated by one’s selfish desire.

Then as I think of the life and teachings of the Lord Jesus, on his sufferings and the rejections he endured, was it not a constant display of his courage and endurance throughout his life? He came to do God Yahweh’s will. If I am to imitate him, would I not need the same courage and endurance as his to live by? It is in the face of suffering and challenges that one needs courage, when one is weak and being mistreated that one needs courage, when the enemy is powerful and vicious that one needs courage from Above. When all is smooth and subdued to us, why would we need courage at all?

When I realise that God Yahweh may allow various challenges to come to me so as to fulfil His will in me and, hopefully through me to others also, then my heart would rest in Him and be encouraged to press on by His gracious enabling!

So let us take heart to fulfil His will in our lives!

(c) 2021 Christian Disciples Church