“Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the Name.” (Acts 5:40).
I have been thinking today about courage…
After all, courage is a gift of the Holy Spirit and so it is something good. And courage is more than choosing to stand up for what we believe in – even when we are afraid… Courage is the knowledge that good will prevail. After all, without that knowledge how could we ever stand up for what is good and right. And this knowledge that good will prevail is the cornerstone of courage…
After Christ ascended into Heave, the Sanhedrin arrested the apostles for preaching the good news and for performing miracles in the name of Christ. They told them, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this Name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this Man's Blood upon us.” (Acts 5:28).
And the response of the apostles is remarkable. You see, Saint Peter – the same apostle who denied Christ three times before the cock crew – answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29).
And the reaction to that courage was that the Pharisees beat the apostles. But the apostles could see the good – even in the pain – because, “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the Name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” (Acts 5:40-42). And they continued to believe in the Good even unto death…
And I have been reflecting on how and why…
And then I stumbled upon the words of Christ…
“Some Pharisees came, and said to Him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill You.’ And He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless I must go on My way today and tomorrow and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem’.” (Luke 13:31-35).
You see, Christ recognised Herod for what he was – a fox – a sly old fox who was of no use to anybody. And I have been reflecting on why… After all Herod had a vendetta against Christ. He was “out to get Him”. He pursued Him and tormented Him and troubled Him. And yet, Christ’s reaction was unwavering. He stood with courage in the face of intimidation and he told them to go back to that “fox”…
And I reflect on that today. For in the face of danger, my Beloved called out to a “fox”, and He went about His business. Because He knew that there is no danger in the Will of the Father.
And when I look about me today at all the terrible things that I have done and that I have seen, it occurs to me that I am surrounded by foxes, and it is up to me to call them out – just as my Beloved did. For I follow the Will of the Father, and that means that only good can come… Only good…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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