Saint Patrick - the courage to turn back and forgive

For those who know the wonderful story of Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, the 17th of March is a day to remember him. The legend of his life seems to grow more and more with time, but there is enough fact in his testimony that teaches us some powerful insights. 

In reading a sonnet by Malcolm Guite, I was struck by the thought of Patrick's courage. When he returned back to the land of his captors, Patrick displayed remarkable courage. We could argue that it must have taken a miracle for him to go back to the very people who had kept him prisoner for 6 years.

 In doing this Patrick displayed his Christlikeness, because it was Jesus who taught us to 'love our enemies'. Patrick could have gone back to Ireland with a deep desire for revenge and retribution, but he chose the path of forgiveness and mercy. In doing so, he allowed the people of Ireland to see the true presence of Christ.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." - Matthew 5:43-45

Thought: How our world needs more people like Patrick today? When everyone seems hellbent on revenge and anger, we are challenged to choose the path of love.

Please listen to the beautiful sonnet by Malcolm Guite here.

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Lifting me out of the mess

When I hear testimonies of how God has been real in the lives of ordinary people I am greatly encouraged. Sometimes these miracles may seem small to us, but they speak of God's activity in our real-life-issues. They remind me that God does notice us and that God does care for us.

The Psalms are another place that speak of these miracles. The recount stories of how God has shown up for his people. May we never forget this.

¹ I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
³ He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40)

Prayer: "Dear God, help us to remember how you have guided your people in the past and to trust that you can still lift us out of the mud and mire. Amen."

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The Iron Spine

"I wish I had a gentle mind, and a spine made up of iron." - Saint Vincent 

There is something intriguing in wishing for a spine made of iron. The meaning is clear - St. Vincent realised that he needed to have a strong backbone, to get through the many tough things in life. In his mind, a spine of Iron would help him to get through those very difficult moments. 

Thankfully, we can lean on the strength of Christ to help us through any difficulties we may face. We don't necessarily need the iron spine when we have the Spirit of God.

1 Samuel 30:6 - But David found strength in the Lord his God.

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Moving towards Courage

"But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.” – Hebrews 3:6

I had never really considered 'Courage' to involve some kind of movement or action. By this I mean that an obvious end-result of courage is usually some kind of action, but are there some steps we can take to get this courage? If you look at the following verses, you will note that there seems to be some action involved:

Deuteronomy 31:6 - Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Chronicles 17:25 - “You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So, your servant has found courage to pray to you.

Matthew 14:27 - But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

All of these scriptures seem to suggest that we can position ourselves to "be courageous"; "find courage" or "take courage."

I am not 100% sure what this looks like, but I am sensing that our confidence in Christ's promises has something to do with our willingness to move towards Courage. What do you make of this? How can we move towards this Christ-like Courage? 

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Courage doesn't always Roar!

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow." - Mary Ann Radmacher

As I came across this quote this morning, I was reminded of how the disciples must have been feeling in the days after the Resurrection. They were feeling afraid and uncertain, yet Jesus was making them feel more and more at peace with the new 'normal.'  He was not going to leave them alone or unequipped for the task that lay ahead. 

"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” - John 20:19-21

Thought: As we go into the post Easter season, let us remember that our strength and courage comes from the Spirit of Jesus. 

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"Help us always" - A prayer for this time!

"Help us always,

To praise rather than criticize;
To sympathize rather than condemn;
To encourage rather than to discourage;
To build up rather than to destroy;
To think of people at their best rather than at their worst." - William Barclay

Romans 12:12-13 - Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

May you have a bless day,

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Blind courage

I have just finished reading a delightful book called Blind Courage. It is an autobiography of the epic trekking adventure of Bill Irwin. In 1990, Bill undertook the awesome challenge of walking the Appalachian Trail in North America. This adventure trail is over 2000 mile long (3600 km's) and crosses 14 American states. If this is not impressive enough for us, what is even more remarkable is that Bill walked the entire route blind! He needed the help of his guide-dog, Orient, but he managed to achieve what many seeing people can only dream of. It is an incredible feat.

At some point in the book Bill writes:

"I guess the Lord put me on the Trail with my blindness to let other people see what He could do. My job was to show up for work every day and walk as far as He gave me the strength to walk. God needed a weak man for that job, somebody who had to depend on Him for every step." 

There is so much in these words, and they could easily speak into our lives.

As we resolve to walk through our lives, may we learn to trust in the direction of our Lord.

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Having courage

"In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.” - Isaiah 42:3-4

As we brace ourselves for the unveiling of the rest of 2023, it is good to remind ourselves that we put our trust in the One who will not falter or be discouraged. We will be discouraged at times, and we may even falter, but when we place our hand into the Lord's hand, then we know that we will be carried through these difficult times.

"Having courage does not mean that we are unafraid. Having courage and showing courage mean we face our fears. We are able to say, 'I have fallen, but I will get up.' - Maya Angelou

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Let courage rise with danger

In his famous hymn, Stand up! Stand up for Jesus, George Duffield penned these two lines:

"Let courage rise with danger,
and strength to strength oppose." - George Duffield (1818-1888)

These words speak of how we can ask God's Spirit to fill our hearts with such courage, that when we face any danger or strife, we can feel our hearts rise to meet the challenge. I believe that God can do this for each one of us, no matter the situation we are facing.

Exodus 15:13 - In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

Thought: Have you ever encountered a difficult situation, but sensed a supernatural strength carry you through the time of testing? 

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Do not be discouraged

I couldn't think of a better word to start this week with. As we head into the tail end of the year, we are all starting to feel weary and tired. Discouragement can sneak into our language and lives. May these words of Joshua remind us that God is on our side and will be with us.

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:8-9

Brennan Manning once wrote: "Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever."

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Magnificent failure?

"If Jesus could enter this world and be unflinchingly courageous in this extreme adversity, be such a magnificent 'failure', then I can also live with meaning and love in whatever comes my way." - Eugene Peterson

When we look to Jesus we see in him so many moments of inspiration for our lives. 

We remember that He is our salvation and our strength, but Eugene Peterson offers us fresh insight into something else. When we note that Jesus appeared to be a 'failure' in the public eye, but still showed unflinching courage in the face of his death, I hope we feel renewed encouragement to keeping going. Life can throw us many curve balls, but with the resilience of Christ, we can persevere. 

Mark 16:6 - But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him.

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To be with Jesus

Acts 4:13 – “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

I think that these words from Luke are perhaps the greatest compliment anyone could give another Christian - "we see that you have been with Jesus." Although Peter and John had their own blind-spots and many areas of growth, the time they had spent with Jesus had changed their lives.

Is this something that others could say about us? Has our time with Christ changed our lives?

How can we spend more focussed time with Jesus?

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Courageous Song

As I have been reading and reflecting on Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1:39-54) this week, I was stopped in my tracks by these thoughts from Rev. Carolyn Sharp. She says:

“Don’t envision Mary as the radiant woman peacefully composing the Magnificat. Instead see her as a girl who sings defiantly to her God through her tears, fists clenched against an unknown future. When we do this, Mary’s courageous song of praise [becomes] a radical resource for those seeking to honour the holy amid the suffering and conflicts of real life.”

I think that this is deeply profound. 

Singing and praising God, when we are going through good times is easy, but offering God worship and thanks, when we are confused, stressed and worried, is a true test of courage. 

How often do we trust Jesus when we are faced with the gathering of the storm clouds?

“Pray, and let God worry.” - Martin Luther

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Still I rise

Maya Angelou wrote these words at a time of great struggle and pain in her life. What I love about the sentiment of her writing is that every one of us can relate to parts of her experience. Although the discrimination and rejection she went through are unique to her situation, they provide a link with all human suffering. Despite all of this, she still had the courage to state: STILL I WILL RISE!

“You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
’Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries?

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
’Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own backyard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.”

May you and I learn to RISE with Jesus Christ - he is the one who helps us overcome!

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Radical implications

There are so many radical implications of Jesus' resurrection, for his disciples, but these are the vital paradigm shifts that take place following Jesus' appearances. 

He changes their fear to courage.

He challenges their doubts in order to move them deeper into faith.

He reveals the truth of his bodily appearance in order to remind them that He has not abandoned them.

He reminds them of their call to mission.

He empowers them with the gifts of 'peace' and the 'Spirit.'

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. (Luke 24)

As we reflect on these implications how many of these are still vital for us in our own personal faith?

I would guess that they are ALL necessary for us.

What do you think?

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The courage of Jesus

In his insightful book "The Cross", Morton Kelsey shares these incredible words as a reflection on the cross. He speaks of the huge amount of courage it must have taken for Jesus to endure the Cross. We often focus on Jesus' love or humility, but seldom spend time contemplating his supernatural courage.

"Love without strength can be weak and ineffectual. The love of Jesus attained its incredible power and effectiveness because it was compounded with another quality as near to the heart and nature of God as love itself. Strange how we can look at the cross, at all it was, at what Jesus did upon it, and often fail to see the courage of the man. It was his courage as well as his love which led him there and left him hanging on the cross. It was his courage which enabled him to love in those dark hours."

May the Courage of Jesus inspire your heart today.

Let us season our prayers with the remembrance of Christ's courage on the cross and the life he has won for us.

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“The church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners.” - Morton Kelsey

Fight with everything

"Dear friends, I’ve dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that we have in common. I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish." - Jude 1:3 (The Message)

Living as Christ-followers is becoming more and more complicated. We are definitely moving into a time where we will need to 'content' more for our faith. Of course, this doesn't mean that we have to attack people, but rather be willing to stand up for what we believe in and to 'guard' the gift we have been given.

What does this verse mean for you in this time of your life?

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." - Winston Churchill

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Gone up in flames

                                                            

After discovering that twenty years of his work had literally gone up in flames William Carey wrote these words to Andrew Murray:

"The ground must be laboured over again, but we are not discouraged. We have all been supported under the affliction, and preserved from discouragement..."

And then he quoted from Psalm 46:10, where the Lord Himself says,

"Be still and know that I am God."

William Carey had spent 20 years translating parts of the Bible into various Indian dialects as he served as a missionary in India. Bearing in mind this was in the early 1800's, he had no computer backups at all. He must have been devasted - I know I would have been!

However, he had learnt a simple trust in Jesus and believed that even through trials God was still present. This is such a valuable lesson for me. What do you feel?

Have you ever faced a discouraging time only to see God's hand move in a different direction?

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The courage of Jesus

Morton Kelsey challenges us to look at the cross from another angle - taking note of the immense Courage of Jesus, as well as his deep Love.

"It was his courage as well as his love which led him there (to the cross) and left him hanging on the cross. It was his courage which enabled him to love in those dark hours. The victory which was won there on Golgotha was compounded of three precious elements. of humility, of love and of courage."

May you remember both the LOVE and COURAGE of Jesus today. Remember that he shares both these gifts with us today.

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

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Courage of Desperation

Have you ever been in a situation where you have felt so desperate that you were willing to try anything to get out of that tough time? I know I have and it is not a nice place to be in.
When Zacchaeus realised that he was missing something in his life, his desperation drove him to do something very undignified - he climbed up into a tree!

This in itself, may not seem strange, but just think of the Chief Revenue Officer (or the head of SARS in South Africa) wading through a packed crowd and suddenly start climbing up a tree. It smacks of desperation and it would definitely get heads turning. Ironically it was probably this act of desperation that placed Zacchaeus fully in Jesus's line of sight. And as Jesus noticed him he was able to speak into his life.

What act of courageous desperation got you to change your life?

If you are struggling at the moment, what courageous act do you need to embark upon in order to meet Jesus again?

"So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way." - Luke 19:4

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