by Pastor Douglas Brauner

Trust That Builds Courage

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

An annual tradition in my family when I was a child was heading to my grandparents’ house to watch The Wizard of Oz. I enjoyed the moment that the Wicked Witch of the West melted to the ground.

Even though I have been to Chicago a few times, I didn’t know that there was a park dedicated to The Wizard of Oz. The park contains sculptures of the main characters of the movie. We relate to these characters because there is something about them that resonates with our hearts.

Some of us identify with the Cowardly Lion. Though he is the king of beasts, he doubts his courage. Though he acts with courage, he still doesn’t believe he has courage.

Does the Cowardly Lion sound like you?

“The following night the Lord stood by [Paul] and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.’”
Acts 23:11 English Standard Version

I’d love to know what Luke meant when he said “the Lord stood by” Paul. Did the incarnate, resurrected, and ascended Lord literally stand by him? Did he see him once again as he had at his conversion? Wouldn’t we all feel courage to act if we saw the Lord stand by us?

Whether we see Jesus or not, he stands by us as we face the challenges of our baptism call to serve him in this broken, sin-filled world. Drenched in his blood rich mercy, we hear his word that he is with us always even to the end of history (Matthew 28:20).

In fact, like the Cowardly Lion, your faith in Jesus means that you are already acting courageously even if you don’t believe you are. At the end of your day today, reflect on your daily battles and how, strengthened by God’s Word and Spirit, you faced them with courage. And remember that where you believe you failed, you are forgiven.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado