Be Bold. The words looped in my brain throughout the early morning. Driving to work, I sang them over and over. Be Bold.

In our world today, fear is rampant. And sometimes with good reason. Check out any number of places on the globe, and you will find grounds to be afraid.

Yet Scripture exhorts us to not be afraid over one hundred times! Easier said than done in light of the gross wickedness reported in the news media on a daily basis. Still, we have encouragement from the Lord. Be Bold. Be Strong. Be Courageous.

Two questions, then, beg to be answered: Why and How? Let’s tackle the second question first. How do we be bold in the face of terror? How do we walk in strength when the cares of the world overwhelm us? How do we stand with courage when faced with diabolic acts?

We find our answers in the stories of the men and women of the Bible. David ran towards the 

the giant with his slingshot. Rahab held onto the scarlet cord when Jericho’s walls crashed around her. Daniel worshipped God in the lion’s den. Paul and Barnabas sang in the jail at midnight.

Because we tend to view them as superheroes, we can find ourselves a bit intimidated by their exploits. But they were just like us. They came forth from a mother’s womb, nursed at her breasts, and had to be potty-trained. Just Like Us. And they didn’t turn into superheroes when they reached adulthood.

What makes them stand out? All believed in God. They moved in boldness, stood strong, and walked in courage. In spite of a towering giant. In spite of massive stones falling down. In spite of hungry lions. In spite of bloody backs from beatings. They

believed God. They believed His promises. They believed He was who He said He was. We need to take this same lesson and let it burn into the very essence of who we are.

Second, why does God exhort us to be bold, strong, and courageous? Because we live in a world full of fear. Because the burdens of the world defy human reasoning. Because terrorists haunt the highways and byways of every nation. And because Christians possess the answers they seek: boldness, strength, and courage to stand in the face of the most horrific, terror-filled times on the face of the earth.

The world desperately, desperately needs us. The dilemma? They don’t think they do. In fact, the world hates us, mocks us, persecutes us, and, at times, kills us. But those actions don’t change the truth: Without us, our worldly enemies will spend eternity separated from God, in a fiery lake with unending weeping and gnashing of teeth.

God’s response to the world? We, the church, the Bride of Christ. Our response to God? Be Bold! Be confident! Have faith in God! With the Creator of the Universe living on the inside of us, through His  Spirit, we bring His peace that goes beyond human understanding; we carry His joy that refreshes and renews human strength; we share His love that casts out fear. So go ahead. Be Bold! Be confident! Have faith in God!

Copyright © 2018 Penelope Kaye, used with permission.

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