COURAGE

“Be strong, be bold, don’t be afraid or frightened of them, for Adonai your God is going with you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6

I woke up this morning with one short phrase going through my head, as if Adonai was giving me a command for today. I heard the words, “Be courageous today.” I must admit, I am not sure what I am supposed to do with these words; I am not sure what He has planned for me today. Am I going to face an enemy where courage will be needed to overcome? Am I going to be looking face to face in the eyes of fear? And quite honestly, I am questioning what courage really is. It has to be more than a singing lion found near a yellow brick road that later helps overcome a witch. What is courage, Adonai’s definition of courage?
Looking in the Strong’s is where I find the best definition of the word, courage. It is here in Deuteronomy 31:6 and in Joshua 1:9 that the word ‘AMATS is given, meaning strong, alert, bold, and determined. This is the same word used in Ruth 1:18 to describe Ruth’s stance in going with Naomi. “When Naomi realized Ruth was ‘AMATS to go with her, she stopped urging.” Joshua was being told to be determined, Ruth was determined, so what will I be?
As I was working to understand this word, though, something caught my attention for the first time. Read this bit from Matthew Henry’s Commentary speaking concerning Joshua’s account. “He knew well what a discontented people they were, and how unmanageable they had been in his predecessor’s (Moshe’s) time; let him therefore expect vexation from them and be of good courage.” I have always imagined that Adonai gave this command to Joshua because Moshe was gone and he needed a pep-talk. But there is more. Adonai knew the hearts of these people. He knew that they needed a leader. By placing Joshua in that position of leadership, He also knew that these people were going to continue to do wrong and work to undermine the authority given to Joshua. So then, Adonai said, “Be strong and courageous. Take your stand in Me, Joshua. Draw the line right now before these people test you and be determined in your stance in Me.”
I think back to the words that were in my head, that were fresh just hours ago, and it begins to make sense. Adonai is telling me to be determined today. He knows what is on my mind, but better yet, what the enemy will throw at me today. He is warning me now to know who I am in Him, and to draw that line of determination in my walk with Him. I am to be courageous in how I lead my family today. I am to be courageous in how I interact with people I will run into at the store or gas station. I am to be courageous in how I communicate today. I am to be determined in every step I take today, not allowing fear or discouragement to sneak in and have its way. I have been charged with mission – to be strong and courageous. And still the greatest part of all this is the remainder of Deuteronomy 31:6. Adonai promises, He will neither fail nor abandon me. I can step out in courage, knowing He has my back.

Deuteronomy 31:1-31