Take Courage

15 January

Our friend the mist returned for two sweet days of cool respite. It wrapped our wooden cabin in moist tendrils, obscuring the mountains and pine forests that surround us. We drove out to walk beside a lane of venerable oak trees, the sole remnants of a former farmstead. Strange mushrooms sprout from their gnarled, moss covered trunks, lending an otherworldliness to the landscape.  A herd of speckled cattle emerged from the mist, to watch our progress with bovine suspicion. As I snuck closer to photograph them, they turned to face me with that stolid dignity of cattle. I admired the sweep and curve of their horns, from what I hoped was a safe distance. I tried cooing some reasuring words, and for a lengthy moment we just continued to stare at each other. With feigned confidence, I raised my arms above my head, and as one organism, the whole herd turned and thundered away.

16 January

When the boys were little, they'd run out onto the deck to call the "mist dragon", as the first foggy swirls rose up from the valley. They'd shriek excitedly as it loomed larger and closer, it's swaying jaws gaping wider and wider... Then we'd tumble laughing into the safety of our cabin, swiftly closing the door on "danger".

17 January

Pretending to be scared was fun, but full-blown fear or worry is a debilitating, often overwhelming emotion. "Fear is often our natural response. We don't have to think of all the reasons to be afraid, fear comes unbidden. But being strong and courageous doesn't come naturally. Often we have to think through different reasons why we ought to overcome our fears with courage. God calls us to take courage, because it doesn't just come naturally, we have to fight for it. Confronted with fears from every side and even from within, courage must be seized." ~ John Bloom, Desiring God.org

22 January 

There is a man in the Bible whom I feel I've only just "met". He appears briefly in the book of Numbers as "the other" of the two spies who didn't doubt when they were sent to reconnoitre the promised land of Canaan. Twelve scouts were sent out, ten came back full of terror and trepidation.They feared the people living in that land, who were said to be collosal and powerful, not the kind of guys you'd want to meet at night in a dark alley. They feared their numbers and they feared their well fortified city. But then Caleb steps up and says: "Only rebel ye not against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land, for they are bread for us, their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us, fear them not." ~ Numbers 14:9 KJV

(The name Caleb, means "dog", not the most flattering name in biblical times. But God had a plan for Caleb's life...)

"They are bread for us..." Right there, Caleb saw what I so often fail to see, that trials are the very thing that strengthen us. That the "giants we conquer are as bread to our soul, and so by the power of God working in and through us, we grow." ~ Darlene Schacht, Slaying Giants. 

James, the brother of Jesus said: "Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverence. Let perseverence finish it's work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." ~ James 1:2-4 The word "count" here is a financial term, meaning to evaluate. James encourages us to evaluate the way we look at trials. An athlete or a soldier may look forward to physical and mental challenges because of the benefits that follow. Trials develop our spiritual muscles, giving us the the stamina and endurance to stay the course. I can "count it all joy" in hardship, because in and through them, I learn to fully depend on God and trust Him and His wisdom. Tested faith becomes refined, rugged, courageous, uncompromising. C.S. Lewis said : "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at its testing point." I can choose to face trials with courage and confidence, not necessarily for what they presently are, but for the outcome God wants to accomplish through them.

Back to Caleb. He was given the courage to face a seemingly impossible challenge, because He believed that God would fulfill the promise He'd given them. And in the process, their faith in Him, would grow ever stronger. So when we meet him again in Joshua 14, Joshua is dividing up the land between families. As Caleb had been faithful, he was given a choice. Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, he chooses to go and live in the land of the giants. And this is what he had to say about his choice: " Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel was moving about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty five years old. I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out, I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said." ~ Joshua 14:10

23 January

Israel's warrior Caleb, at 85 years of age, still knew how to take courage. He could have settled on a sweet tract of land and spent the rest of his days sitting on the porch watching the olives grow. But he'd seen God's promises unfold, he'd witnessed God's power and might, his faith had been tested and honed. So, choosing courage over comfort, he walked with "the Lord helping him", into battle once again, confident of the outcome. It's no coincidence that Caleb came from Judah, like our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah! "The more we read the Old Testament as books written by God, through His Spirit, about His Son, the more we grow in hope, in understanding, and in the likeness of our Saviour." Alistair Begg

The Bible says that faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the Word of God. Is God's Word not the very place we go to for courage and hope? His promises sustain us when nothing else can, because we know that the same God who changed Caleb "the dog" into a roaring lion, still upholds and strengthens us with His righteous right hand.

Whatever giant you may be facing today, remember this; the God of Israel is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Lean on Him, trust in His promises. Be en"couraged" by His faithfulness through all generations. Take captive in the name of Jesus, each anxious thought. The Lord Himself goes before you. The Lion of Judah is your conquering King, and He, will never fail or forsake you.

The Lord says: "I will rescue those who love me

I will protect those who trust in my Name.

When they call on me, I will answer,

I will be with them in trouble,

I will rescue and honour them,

I will reward them with long life and give them my salvation." 

~  Psalm 91:14-16

                                             ~✓~✓~✓~✓~✓~

You Hem me in Behind and Before

9 January

A new week arrives in a blaze of heat. The wild wisterias wilt, and the air hums with insects. As the sun climbs to its apex, birds fall silent deep in their leafy refuge. The ginger Tom lies stretched out and limp under the apple tree. Our old dog Shadow crawls stifly into a cool hollow in the soil. Muddy mountain paths turn to gritty dust, and we long for the cool mists as one longs for an old friend

While the blistering heat causes most creatures to become sluggish, it seems to encourage the cicadas to crank up their buzzy ninety decibel love song. As children we used to call them Christmas beetles or sonbesies (sun beetles). Male cicadas have drum-like structures on their abdomens, and by flexing and popping these " tymbals" in and out hundreds of times per second, they produce the high-pitched sound we've come to associate with the hot, cloudless days of Summer.

11 January

I continue my exercise in "discipline" by writing down some insights gleaned from a Bible study we've started, simply called "Slaying Giants".* (A picture of Ruth comes into my head, meticulously gleaning the life sustaining grain behind the workers in the field.)

Growing up as the youngest daughter of staunch "Dopper" (Dutch Reformed) parents, we had to go to Katkisasie (catechism or Sunday school) every Sunday after the morning church service. My memory is a bit vague about these classes, but I remember Bible stories as a littly, and being drilled as a teenager by the "ouderlinge" (elders) for confirmation. Part of the discipline and rigour of church life was good, and it established a firm foundation for us to build on. But for me there was always something missing, like warming yourself by a candle, when there is a bonfire beckoning in the distance. Perhaps it was my own heart that was not open and "malleable" for the Spirit of the living God to reveal himself to me. The intimate relationship with Jesus that I inadvertently longed for, did not exist.

12 January 

But God is so patient. And He really has had to be with me, ever prone to wander and procrastinate... 

Back to the Bible study: Most of us know from small the account of Israel's exodus from Egypt, with stern, bestafffed Moses in the lead. The first thing that stood out for me is that they "marched boldly" out of Egypt (Exodus 14:9). They didn't sneak out, quivering in their sandals, they marched, implying that they were focussed, courageous, and of one mind. I know, only a few verses later when they realise Pharaoh and his chariots are in hot pursuit, they're bemoaning the fact that they left the fleshpots of Egypt in the first place, and really giving Moses a hard time. Moses stays steadfast, and just hear what he says to the people of Israel in verse 13, after they'd basically announced that they'd prefer to serve the Egyptians thank you very much! "Moses answered the people, "DO NOT BE AFRAID. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be STILL."  Now that is my kind of motivational speech.

From what I could remember, Israel were happily marching along, when Pharaoh realises he's loosing cheap labour and hops in his buggy drawn by fierce steeds with flaring nostrils and foaming muzzles, and gives chase. (He obviously didn't read David's Psalm about trusting in chariots and horses...). By the time he and his army catch up with them, Israel are camping on the beach. They look up in fright, drop their braaibroodjies (toasted sandwiches) in the sand and start wailing. Moses gives his speech and God tells him to stretch out his staff over the Red Sea to neatly divide the deep, briny waters. The children of Israel recover from their panic and are marching again, mouths agape this time. They stride through the walls of water on dry land, and when Pharaoh tries to follow, he gets a nasty surprise and his chariot becomes the first submarine. But jokes aside, is this how it happened?

This is the account from the Bible, as written down by Moses himself in Exodus 14. After God tells Moses to stretch out his staff over the sea, an amazing thing happens. V19 - "Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night, the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side, so neither went near the other all night long."

The angel of the Lord who had been traveling in front of Israel's army  - the distinct presence of Yahweh, who had been there with them and leading them, every moment since they left Egypt. Notice that Israel is now referred to as an army - soldiers for the Lord, who had been marching with purpose up to this point.

The pillar of cloud - God himself had been going in front of the people of Israel "by day in a pillar of cloud and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they may go by day and by night."(Exodus 13:21). This was no ordinary cloud, it was the visible symbol of God's presence in the midst of His people.

Stood behind them - the angel and cloud which have been going before the Israelites to guide them, now shift behind, to protect them. "You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me." Psalm 139:5

Coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel - the cloud obscures the enemy from Israel, as it was the sight of Pharaoh and his men advancing that caused them to be fearful. They took their eyes of God and focussed on the seemingly dire situation instead. Sound familiar?

- It also obscured visibility for Egypt's army, so they could no longer pursue. God took an active role in Israel's defence.

- It would have been a visible sign to Pharaoh that the God of Israel is powerful and there for His people.

Throughout the night - God promised deliverance, but they had to wait out the night to receive it. "But they who wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not be faint." ~ Isaiah 40:31

The cloud brought light to the one side and darkness to the other - we don't need to guess which side was in the dark and which side was bathed in glorious light. "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?" ~ Psalm 27:1. "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." ~ 1 John 1:5

I pray that you may also find tremendous encouragement from this account. God is for you, He is with you, He fights for you, He is mighty to save. He surrounds you with His love and protection. Keep your eyes on Him, there is no pain or problem that you cannot overcome with God. May He transform you through the renewal of your mind. May He give you the courage to slay giants and the boldness to tell the world of His might, glory, goodness and grace.

                                    ~•~•~•~•~••~•••~••~•~•~•~•~

* Slaying Giants, a Bible Study on finding your courage and conquering fear, by Darlene Schacht from timewarpwife.com

Under a Banner of Love

6 January 2023

It is a drenchingly wet and cold day in the mountains. The silver birches rock in the breeze where a lone forest pigeon sits huddled against the driving rain. Our animals gravitate towards the fire, their muddy paw prints drying in tell-tale paths on the floor. The kettle hisses on a gass flame, a kitten is curled up in a sweet spiral. A day for gentle pursuits.

I have been feeling a pull toward starting to write again, needing to push aside the all too familiar feelings of inadequacy and lack of inspiration. Reading can be a gentle pursuit, but writing... Writing is a discipline, at least for me it is.

Have you ever noticed how close discipline is to disciple? This got me thinking. Discipline (according to Oxford) is; "the practice of training or being trained to obey rules or a code/pattern of behaviour, where punishment can be used to correct behaviour. Or; a branch of knowledge, typically one studied in higher education."

The noun "disciple" comes from the Latin word discipulus, which means student, learner or follower.

One can certainly be disciplined without being a disciple, but to be a true disciple, requires discipline. The discipline of a disciple of Jesus however, is not one imposed by other people. Rather it is self-discipline under Christ. Paul said to Timothy: "Discipline yourself for the purpose of Godliness" ~ 1 Timothy 4:7-8.

So is my motivation to start writing again "for the purpose of Godliness"? I have to be honest and say that I don't rightly know, but what I do know is that God is faithful beyond my doubts, and for that reason I will write. And trust that He will meet me as I walk towards Him on this yet unmapped road.

8 January 2023

To get back into the discipline of writing, I thought to begin with a form or journalling. Simply writing down the things that stand out from each day, whether it be from spending time with the Lord and in His Word, or preparing a meal for my family. Walking our beautiful mountain paths or sweeping the floor...

Part of our weekend routine is to take our motley crew of five dogs for long, leisurely walks. Both the humans and canines adore these outings and we always return with our spirits lifted (the humans), and tongues happily lolling out the side of their mouths (the dogs). One of our favourite walks is around an area called Eureka, where the mountain landscape is truly awe-inspiring. The adjacent forest offers a cool canopy overhead, and a scented floor of pine needles underfoot.

Today, the Elandsberg was an amphitheatre, where nature boldly declares the glory of the risen God. Here, the display of grandeur can make you want to soar above it all, and yet kneel small and humbled at the Creator's feet. "In one hand He holds the mysteries of the earth, and in the other He holds the highest mountain peaks." ~ Psalm 95:4

Later this morning we sang with our friends: "My beloved is mine and I am His, His banner over me is love... I'm safe and secure on the Rock of all ages, His banner over me is love."  Our self-conscious teenaged son sang it with what seemed like slight embarrassment, but the refrain stayed with me and sprinkled a deep and sweet joy over the rest of my day. How can I not soar on wings like eagles with the certainty of such a love. How can I not step boldly into the new year, this banner of love and protection always over me, regardless of what the days, weeks and months may bring.

"He will cover you with His feathers.

He will shelter you with His wings.

His faithful promises are your armor and protection" 

~ Psalm 91:4

May you too, be encouraged by knowing that the God who holds the mysteries of the earth in one hand, and the highest mountain peaks in the other, has you covered. With love and protection, with a strong hand to guide you, a caring heart to comfort you, heavenly stores to provide for you.

"Taste and see that the Lord is good,

blessed are those who take refuge in Him.

Fear the Lord, His holy people,

for those who fear Him lack nothing.

The lion may grow weak and hungry,

but those who seek the Lord, lack no good thing.

~ Psalm 34:8-9