What is courage?
Preparing the Bride for GOD’s Story
How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? One aspect is to learn GOD’S STORY. He created us in His image…. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked. And we learn His perspective.
Genesis 33:1-3
“Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.”
Jacob’s terror
From earlier in the account, we know that Jacob knew his brother had 400 men with him. Now, he could see them coming. How terrified he must have been for his family.
Hastily he divided his family again, as he had before, this time to protect the nearest and dearest to him… However how he organised this couldn’t have borne well for the family, for those who were least loved were in the front and she who was dearest was in the back. It would have spoken volumes to the mothers, if not the children themselves.
And then he humbled himself
Seven times Jacob bowed to his brother. Seven is the number of GOD. He was praying.
Courage is not a lack of fear. Courage is facing fear in spite of ones danger. Jacob showed great courage in approaching his brother. What choice did he have? But he did, and he must have been trembling, not knowing how his brother — and the 400 strong army with him — would respond.
Courage is facing the lion in spite of our fear. Courage is putting your head in the mouth of the lion if you must. Courage is doing that which you fear most in order to protect that which you hold most dear.
Whatever the shortcomings of Jacob, he once again demonstrates he is a man of courage.