bravery

Sketched II Day 10 Gideon

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Judges 6:11-27
Psalm 44:1-26
Judges 6:36-40 

Sweat drips down my brow as I hit the wheat upon the rock, trying to release as much grain as possible to gather and hide. I breathe upwards trying to blow my hair from my face and cool my forehead at the same time. The work is exhausting, but without it we will starve.

For seven years we’ve lived like this. Hiding our food from Midianite control. Their oppression is rooted in ancient ancestral division.
We are descendants of Isaac.
They are descendants of Midian.
Midian and his brothers hated Isaac because he was favored by Abraham, their father. That hatred has stewed and simmered for decades. When I look at these Midianites, all I see is deep, hot loathing for us.

Midianites worship many gods, where we worship one – Yahweh. I’ve learned how He delivered our forefathers out of slavery in Egypt. I’ve learned how He killed the Egyptians as they tried to recapture their slaves. I’ve learned how He provided manna in the wilderness. He is a good Father. Yet we are oppressively controlled by these Midianites. We are constantly invaded. Our crops stolen, our livestock killed.

I continue rhythmically beating the grain while glancing around for Midian spies. That’s when I spot him. A stranger, definitely, but not a Midianite, for his hair is white and his robe almost appears golden. He’s under a tree just up ahead. I keep working, but I’m watching him.

I look up.
“AH!” I’m startled. He is suddenly right in front of me. A tall man.

“Greetings,” he says. “The Lord is with you valiant warrior.”

A mighty warrior? I scoff inwardly. I’ve been called many things, but mighty warrior isn’t one of them.The Lord is with me? More scoffing.

“Really? Yahweh? Please, sir, tell me this, if Yahweh is really with us, then why have we spent the last seven years under such oppression? Why am I out here pounding sheaves of wheat in a winepress to hide from the Midianites? Yahweh has abandoned us!”

Half of me is genuinely curious. Who is this stranger? What does he know of Yahweh? The more I speak with him, the angrier I become. Why did Yahweh abandon us?

This man stares off then looks at me, “Use that anger, that fire in you, to save Israel from Midian. I am sending you!”

Clearly he knows nothing about me. Not only am I my father’s youngest and smallest son, but we come from the weakest family.

“How can you expect me to save Israel?” Indignation and frustration dripping from my words.

The man looks me in the eyes, deeply and piercingly. “I will be with you. I promise. You will take down Midian as if they are nothing.”

And for a moment, I believe him. So much confidence. But I can’t be too sure. I’ll test him. Let’s make sure Yahweh really is here, that this really is His crazy command.

“I need a sign. Please don’t leave until I return.”
I secretly hope he leaves, so I can forget I’ve ever had this conversation.
At the same time, I wonder what freedom without fear of the Midianites would be like.

I go, and for the next few hours, I kill and cook a young goat and prepare unleavened bread for this guest, wondering the entire time if he will still be there when I return.

I walk back, carrying the meat in a basket and the soup from the meat in a pot. Sure enough, there he is, waiting for me under the tree.

“Here, sir!” I say to him.

“Put the meat and the bread there,” he points to a stone just a few steps from the tree. “Then pour the broth on top of it.”

Really? I just prepared this entire meal for you! I spent hours and killed one of our goats and I’m about to pour it onto a rock? Annoyed, but respecting my guest, I do it.

The man reaches out his staff and touches my offering.
Faster than I can process, a fire arises, engulfing the food. A moment later, the food and the man have completely vanished.

And then it hits me. That wasn’t just a man, but an angel. Yahweh’s messenger! In complete terror I yell out, “Oh Lord! Yahweh! I just talked to an angel of the Lord face to face!”

“Have peace. Do not be afraid. You will not die” I hear Yahweh say.
I know His voice. I know it is Him. He is here. Right now in this unexpected, holy moment.
Yahweh never abandoned us. With His help, I will deliver Israel from Midian.
He will restore peace!

Right there, I build Yahweh an altar. “The Lord is Peace”.
—-

Rescuing the Israelites from the Midianites was just one of the many things Gideon would do for the Lord. He would also continue to test Yahweh. He struggled with doubt and whether the Lord was really asking Him to do the incredible.

Sometimes, we hear the Lord’s voice as a quiet whisper.
So quiet, we wonder if it is really Him.
Sometimes, we hear Him almost audibly, as His voice presses firmly on our hearts.
And sometimes, He uses a messenger to confirm what He’s been whispering.
A pastor, a friend, or even a stranger in a grocery store.

As I’m writing, the Lord is speaking to me! I’ve continued to “test” Him.
“If you really want me to do this, God, then speak a little louder.
Have someone else tell me.
Make it stand out to me in a sermon at church.”

Friend, let’s agree together to not keep testing God when He speaks.
He is here. He is speaking. He’s never abandoned us.

Whether my husband whispers to me, sends me a text, or calls out from upstairs, it’s still my husband’s voice. I wouldn’t keep asking him to tell me what he wants in a different way.
Stop doubting. Start listening. He’s speaking to you today, just as he spoke to Gideon.
He is with you, valiant warrior, and He wants to bring you peace!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched II Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Sketched II Day 6 Aaron and Hur

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Exodus 4:10-17
Exodus 7:1-13
Exodus 17: 8-16

As we make our way farther into the desert, the sun is beginning to descend, bringing welcome relief from the heat. I’m walking, hot and tired, replaying everything that’s happened in the last few days.

Wasn’t I just standing in front of Pharaoh telling him to let us go?
Wasn’t I just telling him all that God would do if he didn’t let us go?
And then did we actually get away?
And, wait a second, did my brother’s staff really just part the Red Sea and then close again once all of us got through safely?

This surely wasn’t happening. Moses and I had dreamed of freedom for so long, and now it was here. We were on our way to the Promise Land. All those years, 400 of them, under the cruel hand of Pharaoh; and I, Aaron, get to walk into that land of milk of honey by the hand of the Almighty!

This wasn’t going to be an easy journey. It surely hasn’t been so far, but God is doing incredible things all around us. I mean, He leads us with a pillar of cloud during the day, and a pillar of fire during the night. He is taking care of us, guiding us. Incredible!

I stop to catch my breath for a minute, allowing the slow breeze to sweep over my sweaty skin. The people are becoming more and more agitated, asking Moses why he would lead us out of Egypt only to be thirsty.

Don’t they realize how much better it is to be a little thirsty and free, then satisfied and enslaved? I scoffed a bit at my own thoughts, as if we were satisfied under Pharaoh!

I watch Moses lift his eyes to the Lord, and within a minute, he strikes a rock with the very rod that has just parted the Red Sea, and out of it gushes water. God is providing for us. Again! My eyes sting with tears, seeing first hand the great love of Yahweh for His people!

Moses and I have spent a lot of time together, as God has appointed me as Moses’ mouthpiece. Moses speaks to God and I speak to the people. It’s an honor to speak to so many.

The evening’s rest flies by, and as the sun rises anew, I notice Moses walking towards me. The Amalekites are preparing for battle in the distance. My adrenaline surges knowing we must fight them in order to move forward. The tall, broad shouldered frame of Joshua momentarily blocks my view as he speaks with Moses. Just within earshot, I hear Moses’ quiet but commanding tone, “I will be on top of the hill watching the battle”, as he points ahead to a rise in the horizon. It’s what Moses says next that catches me off guard, causing me to motion towards Hur. “Joshua, the Lord has told me that as long as my rod is above my head, we will prevail, yet if my rod drops down, the Amalekites will prevail.”

What is this that the Lord will do now? What if Moses gets tired? It’s too important of a battle to lose over weary arms; Moses cannot be alone on that hill. Hur and I will go with him. Now I just need to tell Hur…

______

Moses and Aaron are my best friends. We’ve spent countless hours together; they are my family. I had no problem following their lead as we left Egypt, doing whatever I could to support them. I’ve already seen Yahweh do so much as we’ve made our way out of slavery.

I decided to walk in the back of the group; mind you, there are roughly two million people here, so I’m a long ways back from the leadership at the front, but still Aaron and Moses know I’ve got their back. I wanted to make sure no one would be left behind. I’m drawn towards the small, seemingly insignificant jobs. I just want Moses, Aaron, and the young leader Joshua to be supported. Honestly, I like this view; I catch up young ones, sometimes carry older ones, and bring encouragement to as many as I can.

I didn’t think I would ever see the day of our freedom. It wasn’t even like our families talked about it anymore. We accepted we would be slaves to Pharaoh until death. So when Moses told Aaron and I that God was freeing us, I had to laugh a bit.

How would God do this? Didn’t He know Pharaoh? Pharaoh didn’t let anyone go. But God! His power has proven unstoppable!

I look up for a split second and see Aaron running towards me shouting something about a war between the Amalekites and us, signaling me to run to the top of that hill with Moses. I nod, my legs picking up speed.  I’m here to do whatever I can. Use me, Yahweh!

Aaron and Hur stood with Moses atop that hill overlooking the war that day. Moses started at sunrise holding his rod high, allowing Israel to win, but as any human would, Moses grew tired. Because lowering his arms meant defeat, Aaron and Hur moved a rock under Moses so he could sit while, together, they held his arms up for him.

You have battles. I have battles. In each of them, the Lord longs to be our Victory, but sometimes we need others to hold our arms up for us. Hur is only recorded in the Bible twice, yet his role is too significant to be ignored.

Sweet sister, that feeling of being overwhelmed like you don’t have a way out can be carried by the Lord. Lean in to community on your journey! And if you see a need, don’t count it as insignificant, take your cue from Hur and lead others little by little!

He brought me out into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me. Psalm 18:19

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched II Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Sketched II!

Brave Day 7
Victorious Bravery: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days...are a pretty big deal at GT!

We search God's Word together, ask questions as we read, dig around to find the original intentions at the time of writing, and then make some applications to our everyday lives.
Along the way, we hope you'll pick up some new tools to study Scripture and you'll see truth in a new and accessible way!

Dig In!

The Passage

Looking for yesterday’s Journey Post? Check out Victorious Bravery!

Ephesians 3:14-21 English Standard Version (ESV)

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

The Questions

1) This passage begins with “for this reason.” What is “this reason,” (i.e. what is the context of this passage?)

2) According to these verses, from what and by whom does God strengthen us?

3) How can we be filled with the fullness of God?

4) Verses 20-21 give us a perspective and purpose for this prayer of strengthening. What is it?

The Findings for Intention

1) If we look back just one verse, we read “So I ask you not to lose heart.” Then in verse 14, we read, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father.” Paul doesn’t want the Ephesians to lose heart, so he prays to God that they be strengthened. This prayer of Paul’s has been preserved throughout the centuries to encourage you and me not to lose heart!

2) Verse 16 contains our answers. We are strengthened according to the riches of God’s glory—which we know are infinite. He will never run out of strength to give us! And we are strengthened by the Holy Spirit in our inner being. The same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in us! (Romans 8:11)

3) Working backward from verse 19, we see that we will be filled with the fullness of God if we know the love of Christ, if we comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of it. How do we understand this love? Through the strength given to us by the Holy Spirit, as Christ dwells in our hearts.

4) Paul wraps up this passage with a reminder that the whole purpose of God’s working in our lives is to bring Him glory. Strength and power for their own sake are poor motivators, but considering how our lives can bring glory to God through His power at work in us gives lasting hope and endurance. To Him be the glory! Amen!

The Everyday Application

1) Here we see Paul praying that his fellow believers would be strengthened. Let’s follow Paul’s example and pray for specific believers we know who may be losing heart. Make a prayer battle list right now – who does God want you praying victory for?

2) Am I striving to do God’s work or make myself Christlike on my own power? Good works manufactured by our strength is much easier to do than we would like to think. Consider even just today, in what ways are you leaning on your own strength, your own understanding, your own abilities? The ways God shapes our hearts to make us more holy is His Work Alone and we can add nothing to it. God clearly tells us that it is His power at work in us. Rest in the knowledge that you can cease striving and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in you.

3) Pray that the Holy Spirit would help you to comprehend just how great Christ’s love for you is. Then read and meditate on these verses that talk about this love: Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:10, Romans 8:35-39. Go ahead and take 5 minutes and read each of them now, take a few more minutes later in your day and make a quick list of ways God loves in today, right now, in this everyday moment. 

4) Am I focused more on how my work for Christ is going, or on how it is bringing glory to God? Lord, give me proper perspective to realize that everything I do, and you do in me, is for your glory. May you be forever praised! 

I Can Do That!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read through it (always more than a verse or two).
3) Write down your questions as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God in your everyday!

The Community!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Brave Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Tools!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

The Why!

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Brave!

Brave Day 6
Victorious Bravery

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 2:1-10
Ephesians 3
Hebrews 10:19-25
Deuteronomy 31:1-8

attachment-1-11I was coming off of a very long weekend of intense marriage strengthening exercises (AKA: hours of conflict). It was Monday and we had worked through our issues and were holding hands again with fingers interlocked, but our hearts were still shaking. I sat watching my son working in physical therapy when Brave walked in the door.

She was white haired with shuffling steps and thin, wrinkled skin wrapped around bones that were at least 9 decades old. Her smile was wide, despite her timid steps…because she grasped the hand intertwined with hers. I nearly dissolved in tears at the duo. They may as well have been waltzing on a ballroom floor, their intimacy was so obvious, their connection so deep.
She was his princess and He was her Charming.
They laughed together and made little jokes. He helped her to a seat and she straightened his shirt. I couldn’t help but wonder how many long weekends of “intense marriage strengthening exercises” they had walked through on their journey to “here”.
How many times had their eyes shone with anger instead of satisfied love?
What had their first decade together been marked by when He was handsome and Her skin was pristine? And, did it really matter now?
All those struggles,
all those hurt feelings,
all those times they surely had felt it wasn’t worth it…
and here they stood, hearts knit together and conflict overcome. Victory.

As I watched the pair and thought about my own marriage, it occurred to me that it wasn’t about the current conflict, but rather the end result and finishing well. When this sweet couple were in their 30’s or 40’s or 50’s, they had no way to see where they would be or how rich their relationship would grow.
They simply believed it would be worth it and so they pressed on.
That is the essence of brave.
They saw an end by faith.
They chose being brave over walking out.

As Christ-followers our bravery is rooted even deeper.
Our hope is sure.
We pursue Christ in every area, not because we are so steadfast or honorable or worthy, but because the hope of Jesus is enough.

This abiding hope isn’t some pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking,
bravery is ours because it has already been won.
Paul passionately portrays Christ’s unfathomable love in Ephesians 2 by describing the sacrifice He chose for us so that we may be
saved by grace,
raised with Christ, and
seated with Him in the heavenly realms.
This is a little technical, but bear with me 🙂 All of those verbs are past tense: saved, raised, seated – no question.

In God’s timeline of salvation (surrendering control to Him),
sanctification (God working in you), and
glorification (when we will be redeemed fully in Heaven), the assurance of these events for genuine Christ-followers is
so certain that it’s already been done.

Once you cross the line of faith, victory is solidly yours to own and wrap up in and bank on.
In life,
in conflict,
in loss,
in illness,
in tragedy,
in death,
victory is ours and by it,
bravery is available in quantities we can’t even begin to imagine.

That kind of bravery is the fuel
for lasting marriages,
for overcoming abuse,
for freedom from addiction,
for life where death has reigned,
for healing in relationships,
for integrity in place of fear.

It’s the same bravery that was stamped across the life of Joshua as he assumed leadership from the legendary Moses, for Solomon as he undertook building the temple, and for God’s people as they crossed into the Promised Land.
“Be strong and courageous, do not tremble or be afraid, for the Lord your God is with you.” (Josh 1:9)
God spoke it over His people and His chosen leaders countless times.
And He still speaks it over us.

Be brave; The Great I Am is with you. (Deut 31:6)
Be steadfast; your hope is sure. (Heb 10:23)
Be bold; Christ holds your eternity. (Eph 3:17-19)

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
Can we pray for you?
Sign up to receive every Journey Study!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Brave Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies in Brave!