Saddle Up. Sufficiently Courageous...

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway” - John Wayne

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed but will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." -Philippians 1:20

{This was my verse that I focused on this morning, on my "first" new day of getting up early with God. }

Sufficient courage. Sufficient, enough, just enough. Not super brave, over-the-top heroic-, but enough courage to make it-..being afraid, yet saddling up anyway, as John Wayne says.

The circumstances in our life can be a real temptation to abandon the role of service to our Lord in our situation. That "small thing" that he has called us to do can feel so hard, so "big" in the living out of it moment by moment.

Through prayer, the word, God's Spirit in us-- by faith we believe hope, expect that we will have sufficient courage - enough - to do it well, to exalt Christ in what we do- in our body, the exalted, enthroned, victorious, sufficiently courageous Christ dwells IN US by His Spirit and is at work in us.

IT is not all up to us, no boot-strap pulling only, to muster up the bravery, nobility, to do the right thing. Yes, like Esther, we are called for such a time as this to do our part, like Samuel, to say, "Yes Lord, your servant is listening", like Mary, "Be it with me as you have spoken."

We have our part. But the truly hard, courageous part comes from Christ's Spirit dwelling and working in us. The same Spirit that had sufficient courage to endure the cross, far beyond our daily burden/cross...

We are {if yielded, our part} controlled by that Spirit, the Spirit of God lives in us and that Spirit gives life {and power and courage}. Rom 8:9-10

We were bought at a high price, our courageous Christ's very life. We honor God with our body (I Cor 6:20) when we choose to live to exalt Him. A little courage on our part is met with more than enough power and life on His part.

"Yes, I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened {is happening, will happen} to me will turn out for my {and others} deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope {faith}that I will have sufficient courage so that now {this moment, this season, this day} as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." Philippians 1:18b-20.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Personalized Psalms 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord! The maker of heaven and earth!
He will not let my foot slip-
He who watches over me will not slumber, indeed, He who watches over Israel will never slumber or sleep.
The Lord watches over me.
The Lord is my shade {umbrella} at my right hand.
The sun {or storm} will not harm me {or mine} by day or by night.
The Lord will keep me from all harm.
He will watch over my life {and the life of mine}.
The Lord will watch over my coming and going, both now and forever more! Amen.

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Saddled up!