I read a statement from the pilot of The Spirit of Saint Louis that set my heart and mind into a very fast spin. I hope you like today’s article, but even if you don’t, the quote is worth many minutes.
“Is he alone who has courage on his right hand and faith on his left hand?”
Charles Lindbergh.
“Luck Lindy” had numerous occasions to stare fear in the face. Think about it, crossing the Atlantic using primitive navigation tools, finally landing in Paris with bare instruments, that most pilots today consider worthless. As a matter of fact the instruments used by Lindy in Paris are no longer included in many IFR packages. Using the equipment/instruments used by Lindberg, I would think I had a good day if I landed in Europe, let alone a tiny airstrip in Paris.
So, to the point, is it possible to separate courage from faith?
Courage, according to most definitions does not mean the absence of fear, but as John Wayne reputedly stated, it means, “being afraid, but saddling up and riding out anyway.”
Faith involves trusting in something or someone to the point of facing even death, and doing so, even though you do not want to die at that time or particular manner. Many war stories tell of the combatants smelling their own excrement, but fighting on, putting up as it were, a courageous fight.
Lindberg had the courage to trust his equipment and his intensely practiced skills to bring him to the desired end, landing safely in Paris, France.
Over the span of my life I have read the accounts of the “Firsts” in many fields. When you think about it they all used faith and courage to accomplish their seeming different goals.
In the Christian life each of us are walking a worn path traveled by others, yet we are walking it for the first time with only apparent differences. The enemy is the same, the package is wrapped in “new”, but the weapons of our warfare are the same as always, mighty to the pulling down of strongholds, as Paul wrote in 2Co 10:4, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
With each new “scientific” discovery, the enemy mounts new assaults on the faith and faithful. We are not to despair and frantically search for “new” weapons. The weapons of faith entail the courage to use them. The very word “faith” carries with it the principle of trust. When David wrote, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee,” he demonstrated today’s principle of courageous faith. There really is no other kind.
Copyright © 2015 Larry Lilly
For very good IT work click Oral Deckard
Please post your thoughts in the comments section. I look forward to reading them. LML
“Is he alone who has courage on his right hand and faith on his left hand?”
Charles Lindbergh.
“Luck Lindy” had numerous occasions to stare fear in the face. Think about it, crossing the Atlantic using primitive navigation tools, finally landing in Paris with bare instruments, that most pilots today consider worthless. As a matter of fact the instruments used by Lindy in Paris are no longer included in many IFR packages. Using the equipment/instruments used by Lindberg, I would think I had a good day if I landed in Europe, let alone a tiny airstrip in Paris.
So, to the point, is it possible to separate courage from faith?
Courage, according to most definitions does not mean the absence of fear, but as John Wayne reputedly stated, it means, “being afraid, but saddling up and riding out anyway.”
Faith involves trusting in something or someone to the point of facing even death, and doing so, even though you do not want to die at that time or particular manner. Many war stories tell of the combatants smelling their own excrement, but fighting on, putting up as it were, a courageous fight.
Lindberg had the courage to trust his equipment and his intensely practiced skills to bring him to the desired end, landing safely in Paris, France.
Over the span of my life I have read the accounts of the “Firsts” in many fields. When you think about it they all used faith and courage to accomplish their seeming different goals.
In the Christian life each of us are walking a worn path traveled by others, yet we are walking it for the first time with only apparent differences. The enemy is the same, the package is wrapped in “new”, but the weapons of our warfare are the same as always, mighty to the pulling down of strongholds, as Paul wrote in 2Co 10:4, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
With each new “scientific” discovery, the enemy mounts new assaults on the faith and faithful. We are not to despair and frantically search for “new” weapons. The weapons of faith entail the courage to use them. The very word “faith” carries with it the principle of trust. When David wrote, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee,” he demonstrated today’s principle of courageous faith. There really is no other kind.
Copyright © 2015 Larry Lilly
For very good IT work click Oral Deckard
Please post your thoughts in the comments section. I look forward to reading them. LML
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