Psalm 27--What the Lion Missed Pursuing Courage

In the classic movie The Wizard of Oz, one of the characters that Dorothy met was a lion who desperately wanted courage. He ventured with Dorothy to Oz to seek courage from the Wizard. In his mind, the only way he could get courage was to have it bestowed upon him. Have you ever thought about where courage comes from? We know we can't get it from a magical wizard in a fantasy story, but how can we get it? What makes courageous people courageous? What gives the police officer, for example, the courage to venture down a dark ally alone when he suspects trouble? Or the soldier the courage to enter a terrorist strong hold? I think there are four things: training, experience, protection and determination. Both the police officer and soldier have been taught what to do in these situations. They both had past experiences, even if simulated, that gave them a feel for what to expect. They both had protection--guns, rifles, bullet-proof vests, etc. They also had the will and determination to put those three things together and in order to place themselves in harms way. In Psalm 27, David challenges all of us to have courage as we journey through life. I believe we get that courage in the same way that the police officer or solider got theirs. Our training comes when we spend time in God's house, in His presence, and as we wait on Him to teach us His ways (vv 4, 6, 11, 14). We gain experience as we daily walk with Him and learn to trust Him with bigger and bigger issues (vv 2,13). We, too, have protection--and it is much greater than vests or guns. David put it this way: "The Lord is my strength" (v1), "Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear" (v3), "He shall set me high upon a rock" (v5), and "Then the Lord will take care of me" (v10). Even with all of this, we must have the will and determination to utilize our training, experiences and protection. When we do that, then we will have courage! "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!" (v14).

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.