We have failed, in fact, to put first
things first. The first thing, by far the first, that every Christian mother
should learn to pray for her son, and every Christian wife for her husband, is
that by him and through him, at whatever cost, God’s will may be done. We must
learn to leave the matter of life and death entirely in God’s hands, and pray
that in life or death our men may keep their manhood clean from every spot of
cowardice or sin.
Especially must we teach our children
this. The first prayer I want my son to learn to say for me is not “God make
daddy safe,” but “God make daddy brave, and if he has hard things to do make
him strong to do them.” Life and death don’t matter, Pat, my son; right and
wrong do. Daddy dead is daddy still, but daddy dishonored before God is
something awful, too bad for words. I suppose you’d like to put in a bit about
safety, old chap, and mother would. Well, put it in, but afterwards, always
afterwards, because it does not really matter near so much. Every man, woman,
and child should be taught to put first things first in prayer, both peace and
war, and that I believe is where we have failed.1
One finds across Holy Scripture trenches, God's loyal men with bravery coursing through their veins. At the threat of Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace, three Hebrew boys refused to bow before the King's image and declared, "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, your majesty. But even if He doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, your majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." (Dan. 3:17-18)
In Hebrews Faith Hall of Fame: God's men "were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received [on earth] all that God has promised." (Heb. 11:35b-39)
And the bravest of all, mere hours before crucifixion fell on His face in the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine." (Matt. 26:39)
God make us brave! When we have hard things to do, make us strong to do them; and at whatever cost, may Your will be done. In Jesus' brave name. Amen.
1 THE HARDEST PART. by G.A. Studdert Kennedy, Hodder & Stoughton, Publishers, London, 1919.
