Bravery

Not a day goes by without some impression of bravery.

Whether it be Brad Pit helping rebuild New Orleans or a daughter caring for an ailing parent – bravery!

The human spirit is a remarkable creation – strong, resilient, filled with faith and determination – created in the image of God!

Everyone of you is brave – you face the challenges of life and death and bear the burdens of responsibility with grace and dignity, though the knees weaken now and then, your hands tremble, and you wonder just how much you can bear.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Our LORD fed the five thousand (Matthew 14:19) after two hard blows: 1) rejection in His hometown (Matthew 13:53) – it says, “they took offense at him,” and 2) the death of John the Baptist, beheaded by Herod at the request of a young girl prompted by her angry mother.

The Text says: “Jesus withdrew privately to a solitary place.”

Even the great Son of God needed time to recover.

But alas, as so many of you know, “time off” was not to be had. The crowds learned where He was and followed Him, and of Jesus, the Text says, “He had compassion on them.”

By the end of the day, when the crowds were hungry, He fed them.

Bravery … He was very brave … and so are you!