Daily Courage

[Judy Harder]

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34)

Grace Dube

Benjamin was not alone when he was killed. One of my sons was with him, Benjamin Jr. He was only 12 years old and managed to escape. From behind a barrel he saw what they did to his father.  He came running home to Soweto to tell me what had happened. Even though my husband had predicted what would happen I could not believe it had happened.

My son Benjamin went to his room and wept and wept, all night. Then the Lord did something in the heart of my boy. He heard a wonderful voice, like his father had heard. His father had often told him, "Benjamin, you must take my place to sing for the Lord if anything happens to me." Early the next morning I heard singing coming from my son's bedroom. At first it was a broken voice, but then, it became clearer and clearer. I could hear my boy sing to the Lord. He sang a verse from the Scripture, "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

I could hardly control myself. O Lord, make me like my children. Help me to forgive.

My son and I have sung this wonderful song together ever since, in many meetings, in many countries, to many people who are hurt - and who need to forgive also.

Father forgive us, because we too do not always know what we are doing.

[Judy Harder]

Seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:22)

Grace Dube

A couple of years after my husband died my son and I were singing in a meeting in Soweto. We gave our testimony about the hurt and about God's provision. There was a wonderful spirit in that meeting. We sang our love-song again. "Father forgive them..."

The audience was listening spellbound. Then I was asked to speak. I read from Matthew 18:21-22, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "...seventy-seven times."

I spoke for some time and then I invited people to accept the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Some people came forward and asked me to pray for them. One man however hesitated. He seemed to be scared. I encouraged him to tell me what was bothering him so much. He said, "I need your Jesus, I need forgiveness. I ... I was one of the mob who killed your husband." I was trembling, scared, confused. What should I do? Singing, Father forgive them, is one thing, but now ... Then the Lord must have touched me, deeply, very deeply. Because He gave me strength and courage to put my arms around the killer, and forgive him - as Jesus forgives us.

"You are now my brother," I whispered. He left a brand new person. And so was I.

[Judy Harder]

I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed. (Daniel 3:25)

Grace Dube

Living in Soweto means that people expect you to make choices, spiritual as well as political choices. We had made a spiritual choice which had political implications:

To preach Christ instead of systems;
To preach love instead of hatred.

This choice made us a friend of some and an enemy of many. The more so because my children formed a music group which became rather popular in South Africa. Yet we realized that it is better to be faithful than to be popular.

The radical black political groups wanted us to join forces with them. When we refused to take sides, we became a target. This is always the case in spiritual warfare. When we follow the crowd we are no danger to the devil, but when we step out of the crowd for our faith in Jesus Christ, we become a threat to the devil. That puts us in dangerous situations. It seems to be safer to stand in the background and watch other people fight than to be in the front line where the battle is being fought.

Yet I would rather stand in the front line. That's the place where you experience blessing, victory and peace. Yes, peace in the middle of the fight. I would rather stand with Daniel's friends in the middle of the fiery oven, than to be outside and get killed by the heat - it is a matter of choice.

When you make that choice you are not bound anymore but you will be (Daniel 3:24) "loose, walking around in the midst of the fire." The only heat you will experience is the warmth of His presence.

Hallelujah.

[Judy Harder]

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:

Grace Dube

That night, in June 1991, it was impossible to lie down and sleep in peace. Soweto was in chaos. Fighting, looting, killing, all through the night.

I was alone in my house. The children (all married by now) had visited me that evening, but had already returned to their own houses, elsewhere in Soweto.  All of a sudden some bandits came to my house. They banged on the door and shouted, "Come out, we want you to join us in the battle." I crept out of my bed and peeped through the window. I saw all the young men, with sticks in their hands. "Lord, be my shield," I prayed. I confess I trembled.

But the Lord was in control.

All of a sudden I heard the leader of the gang shout to his friends, "Hey, leave that house alone. There is an old woman living there all on her own, her children are married and live elsewhere."   When the gang hesitated about leaving, the leader shouted, "I don't want any of you to ever come near this house again." I could not believe what I heard. That man had always been against us, and now this...

"For you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."  "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them" (Psalm 34:7).

A short time later I went back to bed. Not nervous anymore, but, "...in peace I will lie down and sleep" (Psalm 4:.

The peace of the Lord be with you.

[Judy Harder]

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

Grace Dube

It is not always easy to be a father and a mother at the same time. After the death of my husband I had to take that responsibility upon me. That is not easy, especially in turbulent times of political chaos and without financial security. I once heard somebody say, "We can win the world - yet lose our family." How true these words are. We can become so involved in preaching the Gospel to others, that we forget our first priority, our family. Of course, the Lord wants us to witness for Him, but it starts at home. We must let our light shine, that it may give light to all in the house.

What do our own children see of Christ in us?

I thank God that He showed me this priority. And although this is not an easy task - He does help. Some children do not get enough attention because the parents are too busy making money. They have their priorities wrong as well.

The Bible says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

Do we see this priority? And act accordingly?

May God help you and me to serve Him faithfully - starting at home.

Grace Dube from South Africa. Her husband was stabbed to death. She continues to preach his message of forgiveness.

[Judy Harder]

The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand. (Psalm 121:5)

Jan Pit

One who made a deep impression on me is Kosie, a young South African, suffering from Down 's syndrome. I wish you could have heard him pray; it was childlike, simple and full of faith. When he prayed I had the impression that he was so near to God that he could touch Him.

One day I asked him, "Kosie, how do you picture God?" He looked directly at me. Was my question too difficult for his simple mind? No, because his eyes began to twinkle. "As a shade, Uncle Jan, as a shade - look there he is..."

He pointed to his shadow and then he stood and jumped and ran all the time pointing to his shadow. "Look, Uncle Jan, He is always there!"

What a deep truth. "The Lord is your shade at your right hand."  Always visible when you walk in the light! Sometimes invisible when everything around is dark - either through sin or circumstances. But the shade is still there.

Matthew Henry, in his Bible commentary says, "The God of Israel is sometimes a God who hides Himself, but never a God who absents Himself; sometimes in the dark, but never at a distance."

In the light and in the dark, in storm and shine, "The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand."

[Judy Harder]

David prays for forgiveness and deliverance. He is surrounded by enemies, but he does not ask the Lord to destroy them. He asks for forgiveness instead, as if the enemy had been able to come near because of his own mistakes. Forgiveness is central. Only after that, he talks about deliverance.

David

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.
Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.
(Psalm 25:1-7)

[Judy Harder]

...and do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them. (Numbers 14:9)

Caleb

What was the difference between Joshua and Caleb and the other ten spies? All twelve of them had been in the promised land. All of them had seen the fruit of the land. All knew of the giants who lived there. The latter, the presence of giants separated Joshua and Caleb from the other ten. They had all seen the same, but they differed in their judgment of the situation.

The ten compared their own strength to that of the giants. The two compared the strength of the giants to that of the Lord. The ten viewed themselves as grasshoppers in comparison to the giants. The two viewed the giants as grasshoppers in comparison to God.

Yes, Caleb even added that the giants would serve as food for them, "we will swallow them up." The bigger the giant the greater the meal.

Yet Joshua and Caleb were not super-spiritual. They acknowledged the presence of giants, the enemy for they had seen them for themselves. But ... they saw more; they saw God. When you see God in His greatness, even giants look as small as grasshoppers.

It is good to acknowledge your problems, but it is wrong and dangerous to focus all your attention on them. There is another reality. There is a God, whom Caleb refers to as, "The Lord is with us, do not be afraid of them!"

"Lord, open our eyes so that we can see. Really see!"

[Judy Harder]

Noah

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family... (Hebrews 11:7)

...and he walked with God.  (Genesis 6:9)

An extraordinary aspect of Hebrews 11 is that it tells the story of people who all did something which no one else had ever done before. They stepped out into the unknown.

Noah built an ark though there was no precedent he could look to for assistance. Nobody had ever built an ark before, simply because there had never been a flood before. Noah must have been regarded as an eccentric and his sons as simple people who foolishly followed in their father's steps of faith.

In blind, unquestioning faith Noah acted on God's revelation. "Noah did everything just as God commanded him" (Genesis 6:22). In doing so he showed his unwavering faith and absolute obedience.

His secret, he walked with God amidst adversity. Throughout this year we will face circumstances which may seem absurd but let us learn from Noah that those who walk with God will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life

[Judy Harder]

...Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things: I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!  (Matthew 25:21)

Noah

The building of the ark is the longest test of faith recorded in the Word of God. For one hundred and twenty years Noah was a preacher of righteousness which included God's impending judgment. He persevered in his faith though all the circumstances were against him. He did not receive any confirmation that he was on the right track, neither did he get any outsider on his side. What faithfulness, to preach, to evangelize for a hundred and twenty years and not have one convert.

Faith does not look for signs or confirmation. It simply follows God's direction and instructions.

To those who walk by faith God says, "Well done!" Not, good and successful servant, but "good and faithful servant." God does not look for success, but for faithfulness. Then those faithful ones may hear the most beautiful words, "come and share your master's happiness!"