We have many fine examples of courage from history, but ultimately the eyes of believers look to our Lord Jesus Christ.
 |
| www.mirror.com |
I admire someone who will stand their ground when they
firmly believe that this is the right and proper thing to do. I am not always proud of my performance but
we must press on and try to learn from our mistakes and from scripture.
The account of Shammah in the old testament is an
outstanding example of courage, it is found in 2 Samuel 23:11-12 And next to him was Shammah, the son of
Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there
was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the
Philistines. But
he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the
Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory.
Briefly I would like to look at:
Courage and competence
Courage and cowardice
Courage and the crowd
We find this warrior contending against the enemy, at first
fighting alongside his brothers but as the battle grows severe he is abandoned
and left to fight alone. Was he the most experienced fighter or did he have
superior weapons or did he have a courageous heart? We don't know the detail
but God's word records that he stood his ground and was victorious.
Courage and competence
We don't know how long Shammah had fought alongside David as
part of David's outfit or the detail of his background, his training as a young
man. But he had risen through the ranks to become one of David's bodyguards, a
highly respected position. I would imagine that today he would be an SAS
trainer!! There would be regular military training as well as sharing precious
fellowship with king David.
Courage and cowardice
When Moses was instructing the Israelites as they prepared
to enter the promised land, he commanded that soldiers overcome by fear should
return home, because they would discourage their brothers. Here is a portion of
the teaching in Deuteronomy 20: When you
go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater
than yours, do not be afraid of them, because
the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be
with you. … Then
the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so
that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.” I would imagine
that there is some fear in every soldier who is facing a formidable enemy. Each
one must face that internal battle with fear. If Shammah had allowed fear to
overcome then he would have to be dismissed from the bodyguard and from the
ranks of the mighty men. But he consistently demonstrated courage and doubtless
strengthened many young men.
 |
| www.pinterest.com |
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
His lentil field was the ‘will of His Father’. He was
prepared to lay down everything to live and die in that place. Nobody else has
been called: ‘The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’. No one has
had to endure such opposition and resist such great temptation. And when all
deserted him, He was victorious.
Author: Richard Windridge
May God bless and enrich your life
Please feel free to share this article and other articles on this site with friends, family and others.
No comments:
Post a Comment