Jan 31 2010
Forge Ahead
I have a dear friend, Loraine, who lives in a special part of Africa. She lives in a country that has been destroyed by the leadership of a corrupt and greedy dictator. It is just absurd the atrocities people in that country deal with. Under that kind of pressure people can make one of two choices. They can decide to give up or forge ahead.
Loraine made the decision to shingai, her native word for “be strong.” In order to persevere, Loraine is doing something incredible. She has started a chicken farm. Rivers of the World (ROW) provided her with seed money to buy some chickens to begin her business. Now she is selling chickens and Loraine says, “With chickens, you can never go wrong.” I say, “Be strong Loraine and you show the world what it takes to survive, even in tough times.”
We don’t have to travel to Africa to experience difficult times. Economically, the United States has, and is still, dealing with record unemployment rates and a host of other financial troubles. Instead of folding under the pressure, let’s adopt Loraine’s philosophy and be strong.
At the end of Moses’ life, God assured the people of Israel that He was with them and for them to be strong. When Joshua took Moses’ place and prepared to enter the Promised Land, God again commanded Joshua and the people to be strong and courageous. In Joshua 1:9, God once again reassures Joshua by saying:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
We have the same promise today as Christians. We may not be marching into a land filled with giants, but we all face various giants in our lives. These may include grief, divorce, depression, poverty, and the list goes on. Take heart because God will go with you wherever you go and He will make your paths straight. Forge ahead!
