Prayerful Courage (Devotion by David Jeremiah)

Scripture Reading:  Esther 4:13-17

Focus Verse: 
"Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!"   Psalms 27:14

The word "courage" has somewhat of an identity crisis today. Some think of courage as the absence of fear. Actually, courage is persevering in spite of fear. Some of the most courageous men and women have prevailed in spite of weakness, sickness, and persecution.

After two millennia, the beautiful Jewish woman Esther is still remembered for courageously stepping forward to preserve the Jewish nation. When alerted to Haman's evil plan to annihilate the Jews, Esther asked her cousin Mordecai to mobilize the prayer team as she endangered her life to approach the king without his summons. In Esther's moment of crisis, she wisely spent three days in prayer and fasting--before making her request to the king.

If you're experiencing a situation where you need courage to make a decision, don't rush ahead. The more crucial the decision or project, the more critical the groundwork. Make preparation through prayer, asking others to support you. It is then that God will reinforce your courage and give you strength to proceed.

"Cowardice asks the question: "Is it safe?" Consensus asks the question: "Is it popular?" Courage asks the question: "Is it right?" ~Rod Rogers

Devotion by David Jeremiah

Encourage the Children

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Focus Verse: Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.
Colossians 3:21

Samantha Garvey is a precocious 18-year-old high school student who was a semifinalist in a national talent search competition for her research in marine biology. She was invited to attend the president's 2012 State of the Union address, and the next morning she appeared on NBC's Today TV show. While Samantha's accomplishments would be noteworthy under any circumstances, her family's situation is unique: they are homeless. In December 2011, Samantha and her brother, sister, and parents lost their home. They are living in a homeless shelter while waiting for rent-subsidized housing to become available. In spite of their situation, Samantha's father said he and his wife have always encouraged their children to study hard and pursue their goals. Their encouragement obviously paid off.

Encouragement may be the most important emotional ingredient in raising children who have the courage to overcome obstacles in life. Paul warned about the dangers of provoking children to anger and frustration (Ephesians 6:4). The opposite strategy is the one that works: Encourage them to become all God created them to be.

More people fail for lack of encouragement than for any other reason

~David Jeremiah
Turning Point