On Guard

• What’s your biggest fear or phobia?

• When was the last time you did something you were nervous about?

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13

When the apostle Paul wrote this letter back in the first century AD, Christians had to be courageous. The threat of persecution hung over their heads constantly. They were in danger of being thrown into prison, beaten and even killed for following Jesus. Courage went hand in hand with their faith.

We may not face the same type of persecution today, but we still need courage to live the way God wants us to. It takes courage to obey his laws when other people treat them as jokes. It takes courage to stand up for people who can’t stand up for themselves. It takes courage to store treasures in heaven and not chase after money and possessions. It takes courage to identify ourselves as Christians when we know it will make us targets.

Here’s the good news: Courage is available. All we have to do is ask God for it. He won’t prevent us from facing tough situations, but he will give us what we need to get through them.

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for being available every moment of every day to hear our prayers and give us what we need. Let us never forget that our courage comes from you. Amen.