Circuit Devotions

[You can hear Clive read these by clciking the link below]

Midweek Devotions – 25^th February 2021

Today’s devotions are about courage. Courage is about facing danger bravely and not giving in to it. The Bible gives us many verses on the subject of courage – “In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” “The Lord is my helper;I will not fear. What can man do to me?”  “…perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.”

I guess that when we think of courage we usually think of physical courage, standing up to someone bigger or stronger, being physically brave in the face of danger. This type of courage is obviously very important. I was a teacher for thirty years and there was hardly a day went by in all those years when I did not have to help some child or other to deal with the fact they were being bullied in some way by someone who felt they had some power or control over the child they were bullying. It was policy to help the bullied child to stop this problem by actually dealing with it. It would have been easy to summon the bully and tell them to stop, but that would have only been a temporary end to the problem. The bullied child had to be helped to truly overcome the situation by facing up to the bullies and in doing so facing their own fears and defeating them.

Let us pray;

Loving Father God, our hearts and minds are flooded with many fears. Sometimes we become paralysed and feel unable to go on. These fears are overwhelming, they remain with us day and night. Yet we hold on to your truth. You have told us not to fear because you have overcome the world.

So we cling to you, we trust in your promises, that you will never fail us, never forsake us. In moments of such crippling fear we choose to hold your hand. We learn not to be paralysed by our fear, but when we are afraid help us to trust in you.

In you all promises meet and new life begins. You are our saviour, we hide in you, protected by your love and sheltered by your grace. Amen

As I stated earlier we think of physical courage when we start thinking about this subject but before long we realise that there are several other types of courage which are probably more relevant to most of us as they are types of courage we might need on a more regular basis ourselves, especially at such a difficult and dangerous time as we are currently living through. During such a frightening time as well as physical courage we need social courage, which involves leadership and a heart which embraces social justice for all. Marcus Rashford had the social courage to badger the government about justice for all children in terms of their right to receive food at all times.

Moral courage enables us to do the right thing because we know it is right. We might want to meet family and friends, have social gatherings and enjoy ourselves but our Moral courage tells us that these behaviours would be wrong at a time we must think of everyone, not just our own needs.

Spiritual courage enables us to think about and grapple with questions of our faith and the rules by which we live.

Emotional courage enables us to make positive choices and to feel positive attitudes in the face of all the negative forces which surround us. This type of courage has much to do with our happiness and our ability to find good among all the bad things in our lives.

Sometimes people are involved in events which include more than one type of courage. For example the military generals have taken over the leadership of Myanmar, formerly Burma, and the elected president of the country has disappeared, possibly thrown into prison, possibly worse! This lady. Aung San Suu Kyi, will have to dig deep into her personal resources and faith to survive what must be a terribly frightening set of events which have left her probably physically threatened and certainly spiritually, morally and emotionally hurt. Meanwhile in the U.A.E. the daughter of sheikh Mohammed the country’s leader, Princess Latifa, has been arrested by her own father’s men and thrown into prison. She has not been seen for days and again must be having to draw on her reserves of courage, all types of courage to get through what is happening to her.

It is easy when we are under such pressure from the pandemic to forget there are those in even more danger and difficulty than ourselves. So let us pray for all those who are beset by even greater danger than we are and let us pray to our Heavenly Father that he will bring us safely and with courage through this time of horrible fear and peril.

Let us pray;

Heavenly Father we know that there are those in the world for whom this frightening pandemic is only one of many dangers which beset them. Please be their support through every danger and difficulty. Lord, hold their hands and be their strength in all their needs.

Father, we pray for ourselves.

In this age of anxiety & stress, we ask for your Presence to be made clearly amongst us.

Be with us as we confront illnesses that leave many of us in a state of worry for our families, our friends, our colleagues, our communities, our nation and our world.

As hospitals and health care providers seek to continue the healing ministry of You, may they have fortitude for the road ahead, knowing that you are walking this journey with them with your mighty Hand. Remind them of both their strength and Your strength.

We ask for Your comfort upon those who have already lost loved ones during the time of viruses. And, may healing be upon those who are physically suffering and spiritually suffering through this season.

May the wilderness of this time & the uncertainty we may feel, strengthen our resolve to lean on your word, abide in your presence, and be guided by your enduring and powerful Spirit.

You have been with us in every age and will remain a refuge — to take solace, to recollect our thoughts, to remember that all things of this world are fleeting, and this too shall pass.

Let us recall the calming of the storm by your Hand. Let us today and tomorrow and the days ahead lean on Your fortitude, and resolve to care for each other and support each other each through this difficult journey before us in our lives both collectively and individually.

Amidst the darkness, the confusion and the storm of worry, may your Presence be made abundantly revealed so that Your light, Your hand and Your strength, gives us steadiness, refuge, clarity of purpose, and hope. Amen

Loving God, we thank you for hearing our prayers,
feeding us with your word,
and giving us courage and encouragement.
Take us and use us
to love and serve you, and all people,
in the power of your Spirit
and in the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen