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Cowards


Today my prayers were filled with the word "coward". I went to God with my feelings and shared my heart. My heart breaks for the cowardly. As I dialed in on the world leaders whose cowardice results in the loss of innocent lives. God stopped me right where I was. He reminded me of what Jesus said in Luke 6:42. How can I worry about the faults of someone else and neglect my own short comings. In my own brokenness I fail to live out God's words to be strong and courageous. When I am called to pray with someone and I let fear and feelings of inadequacy rule I am being a coward. Or when I am supposed to be bold like Paul for Jesus and I hide in the crowd, I suffer from cowardice too.  

Let me be clear of my understanding of the impact of our failure to do what God calls us to do. Anytime we fail to follow what he has called us into it creates a divide in our relationship with God. From the beginning He has called us into relationship, leadership, responsibility, and obedience. Failure to honor that relationship with our actions impacts the relationship. Wouldn't it be the same with any of your human friends? 

That being said the earthly impact of our cowardice is not the same form occurance to occurance, person to person. Those with prominent leadership positions impact many with their decisions. Winston Churchill said, "Where there is great power, there is great responsibility." Those who lead governments carry tremendous responsibility for those they have been called to lead. Pastors carry great responsibility for the congregation God has called them love.

My prayer today for all of us cowards is that if we have not accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior we do this immediately and allow God to change us from the inside. If we call ourselves Christians, disciples or followers of Jesus may we be bold and brave enough to accept and live out the great responsibilities of following Christ. First to Love God and second to love our neighbors. To be strong and filled with courage.  

Be blessed and be a blessing,
Matt
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