Courage For Today

reach

The Majesty of the Great I Am

Self-Worth

“God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” (Exodus 3:14) have to admit that I eat too much junk food.  It seems that I’m always on the go. Here, there and everywhere.  It’s just easier to stop in my favorite fast-food place and grab something for the road.  A burger here; a hot dog there; chicken sandwiches, french-fries.  Junk, junk, junk.  I know I shouldn’t eat as much of it as I do, but it usually tastes good; it’s cheap; and it’s quick.

Of course when you get to the drive through window, you’re always asked that famous question:  “Would you like it Super-sized?”  As if a regular sized meal of whatever you’re eating isn’t unhealthy enough, they have to ask you whether you want an even larger portion of the cholesterol nightmare.

Let’s face it.  In today’s World, we all have issues and problems.  We all have situations in our lives that seem beyond hope.  Situations or issues in which we’ve reached a dead end and done all we know to do.  It’s usually at that point, our most desperate point, that we reach out.  We reach out to a God that, perhaps, we’ve ignored to this point.  We know we need to reach out to God, but usually don’t until we’re at a point of no return.  We need something to happen. We need God to act.  We need a miracle now!!  If we were at the drive through window ordering what we needed from God, our order wouldn’t be the regular portion, it would be Super-Sized.  We want all we can get from our Heavenly Father and we want it sooner than later.

When I reach those times in my life when I need a Super-Sized portion of God in my life, I remind myself of the majesty of God and the enormity of God.  I remind myself of what Moses discovered when God spoke two simple words to Moses.  Those two words were “I Am.”

God didn’t say, “I Was” although He has always been.  He didn’t say “I Will” although He will always be with us.  He said, “I Am.”    Why?”

He’s “I Am” because it encompasses everything.  “I AM” the comforter.  “I AM” the healer.  “I AM” the relationship builder.  “I AM” the mender of finances.  “I AM” the director of careers.  “I AM” the answer to important decisions.

He is the Great “I AM.”  Don’t worry about trying to order up a Super-Sized God.  He’s already all that you need and enough for any situation.

Courage Thoughts for Today:

  1. What are you worrying about that you need to turn over to God?
  2. What do you need God to act on today, this week, or this month?
  3. Are you trusting that God will be enough, or second guessing His ability to help you?

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Walls in Our Lives Don’t Have To Be Barriers

Strength

I never cared for Physical Education classes when I was in High School.  I loved to play baseball and basketball, but I was not what you would consider athletic by any stretch of the imagination.  I think because P.E. wasn’t “fun” to me.  We were constantly running, jumping, or exercising of some type.  I really thought it was a waste of my time.  I spent most of my time during those classes day dreaming about other things and wishing I was somewhere else at the time.  Perhaps if I had been a star High School Football or Basketball Player things might have been different, but there was never any danger of that happening so it was agony for me each day of P.E. class.

I remember one particular class we were scheduled to be visited by a “special exercise guest.”  You just can’t get much more exciting than that.  I just knew that we were finally going to do something fun or meet some famous athlete.  We made our way from the P.E. Locker room and arrived out on the ball field only to be greeted by a local ROTC Drill Sergeant standing in front of a wooden wall with a rope hanging from the top.  You’ve seen them in movies involving soldiers and their training.  The goal is to run towards the wall; grab the rope; and pull yourself and climb up the wall and over.  My excitement turned to horror.  I knew my turn was coming and I would have to attempt the wall but, at that moment, I would have rather gone to the Dentist.  I knew I couldn’t climb that wall.  I could barely do pull-ups on the high bar, much less climb a wall while holding a rope.  Sure enough, my turn came.  I ran.  I pulled.  I climbed.  I fell.  Just as predicted.

I tried and tried over and over and just couldn’t make it.  After about 5 or 6 attempts, our guest Drill Sergeant pulled me aside and told me he had faith I could make it.  He told me that he was going to climb from the back of the wall, reach over the wall and be in position to grab my hand as I approached the wall.  Instead of using the rope, I was to jump and grab his hand and let him basically pull me up the wall.

After a few deep breaths, I ran as fast as I could toward the wall, jumped up toward the Sargent’s hand and somehow managed to almost reach the top of the wall.  Instead of grabbing his arm, I took hold of the rope, reached the remaining short distance to the top of the wall, threw my leg over the top, and landed on the other side—–just like I was supposed to do.  I don’t know how I did it, but there was something about just knowing that the Sergeant was there for support that increased my confidence to the point that I ended up not needing any assistance afterall.  I realized that his mere presence and encouragement was enough to make me successful.

What a wonderful Christian lesson I learned that day.  Even though I may not physically see God, I know that HE is part of my life.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that HE is there to reach out His arms to me for support.  I know that HE is there to wrap His loving arms around me when I need it most.  I know that HE is there to encourage me and help me overcome the barriers in my life.  Whatever barriers I have faced in life, I’ve learned that God is there to help me climb the wall and conquer the barrier.  I’m never climbing alone.

Are you facing walls and barriers in your own life?  If so, I would encourage you to approach those barriers with confidence and strength and remember that God is already there waiting for you during the journey and at the finish line with open arms.

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