Be strong and courageous!

2 Chron. 32:7

Teenage girls recently gathered for a country photo shoot at my parent’s ranch. Round hay bales provided one of many perfect photo ops. I couldn’t help laughing at their attempts to actually get on top of the bales. I repeatedly shouted, “You can do it!” Their eventual conquests became the high point of the outing!

My “you-can-do-it” along with several pointers and a few boosts made a difference in their accomplishment. I’ve wondered about a similar encouragement adorning any number of bookmarks, posters, and t-shirts: “Be strong and courageous.” This might feel like the equivalent of you-can-do-it,” but the context is quite different. Biblical leaders like Moses, King Hezekiah, Joshua, King David, as well as God Himself all proclaimed this admonition to those they loved and those they led.  

Moses spoke these words to Israel in Deut. 31:6, concerning their future conquest under Joshua’s leadership.  After Moses’ death, God proclaimed to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous…. Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction. My servant Moses commanded you…. Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:5,7, 9 NIV).

Moses’ fighting men repeated these words to Joshua as they prepared to accept his command, “And may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses…. Above all, be strong and courageous” (Josh. 16-18 NIV).

When King David commissioned Solomon to build the temple, he said, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you (1 Chron. 28:20 NIV).

King Hezekiah encouraged the Israelites in 2 Ch. 32:7 as they prepared to face an Assyrian siege.  “Be strong and courageous…for there are more with us than with him. He has only human strength, but we have Yahweh our God to help us and to fight our battles.”

Fortunately, most of us will never face the terrors of war, but we do face personal battles and the insecurities that come with them. We might not have a David, Moses or Joshua to encourage us, but we do have the same LORD God Almighty to encourage us with these timeless truths. We, too, can rely upon God’s Word to stand strong in strength and courage! And, as I enjoyed sharing with those hay bale climbing girls, you might be just the right person to share those words with someone else who needs that same assurance – Be Strong and Courageous!

Linda Lesniewski