Wanted: Courage To Be Courageous

A poster for the movie "Courageous", from Sherwood Pictures

"I will not leave you nor forsake you...only be strong and very courageous...Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9, NKJV

     It's the end of another Monday, and it'll be bedtime soon. I'm beginning to feel sleepy, but I want to write this post before I go to bed. It's been more than a month since I updated this blog, and it hasn't been for lack of things to think and write about. I think it's been a combination of indiscipline and lack of prioritization on my part, while being swamped by the busyness of everyday life. But it feels good to tap away at the keys again, and pour my thoughts out into writing. I think a definite sense of restlessness would pervade my life without my writing; it gives a sense of purpose, passion and above all, pleasure as I've been taking the effort to blog on a regular basis since I began taking it seriously.

     Although there are a number of things I've been wanting to write about (and which I will hopefully get around to in the next few days), this post is about the tremendous impact of the movie "Courageous", which I saw for the first time about two weeks ago after its release on DVD and Blu-ray. It had been in theaters last year when I went to visit my parents in Toronto, and caught my attention because it was made by the same people who created the movie "Fireproof" some years ago. I have now watched it twice at home, and I think I will be watching it a few more times in the weeks or months to come.

     "Courageous" was and still is deeply convicting on many, many levels. It has strengthened my desire to be a man after God's own heart, a man of integrity and purpose, possessing the nobility of conduct that stems from a nobility of character. It has driven home the seriousness of the call and responsibility that God places upon a man to lead, first himself and then others in the roles that he is given as a follower and servant of Christ, husband, father, friend, employee and many others. It has given me clarity and inspiration in my vision of the kind of man that I want to be, the kind of strong marriage that I must actively seek in order to build a God-honouring home and the kind of husband and father that I must become to leave a legacy of faith to the generations to come. Though I have conceptually understood this in my mind so far, I am now coming to better understand why this is important, after having seen it visually narrated in a powerful and compelling story that illustrates the lives of those men that obey and take up the call to courageously lead their lives, marriages, families and professions, and those that abandon and squander the opportunity to make an impact for God in the most important mission that they will ever be given.

     I have been contemplating this movie's message for over a week now, and increasingly so after watching it the second time. God is using it to burn the flame of passion that He has lit in my heart for His truth, gospel and glory and  tremendously shape my decisions and resolve. I'd like to share the music video of a song which is featured on the soundtrack of this movie, and shares its name. This is the song"Courageous", by Casting Crowns:

  

     The  following prayer with which I end this post is inspired by the lyrics of this song: Lord, make us courageous. Oh God of might and power, I need courage to answer Your call, no matter the consequence, or whatever you ask me to give up for the sake of your gospel and kingdom. For the sake of Your name. For the sake of Your kingdom. For the sake of Your glory. In Christ's name.

I want to be Courageous.