Brave Your Storm

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Today's reading, titled Brave Your Storm, was written by Patricia Rabin. It was the evening of April 3rd, 1968, and a fierce thunderstorm was lashing through Memphis, Tennessee. Weary and feeling ill, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hadn't intended to give his planned speech in support of the striking sanitation workers at a church hall. But he was surprised by an urgent phone call saying a large crowd had braved the weather to hear him.

So he went to the hall and spoke for 40 minutes, delivering what some say was his greatest speech, I've Been to the Mountaintop. The next day, King was killed by an assassin's bullet, but his speech still inspires oppressed people with the hope of the promised land. Likewise, early followers of Jesus were uplifted by a stirring message. The Book of Hebrews, written to encourage Jewish believers facing threats for their faith in Christ, offers firm spiritual encouragement to not lose hope. As it urges, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.

As Jews, they would recognize that appeal as originally coming from the prophet Isaiah. But now, as Christ's disciples, we're called to run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. When we do so, we will not grow weary and lose heart. Certainly squalls and storms await us in this life. But in Jesus, we outlast life's tempest by standing in him. Today's scripture reading is from Hebrews chapter 12 verses one through three and verses 12 through 13.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Now picking up at verse 12, therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees, make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Let's pray together. Jesus, you can calm every spiritual storm. When storms rage, speak peace to our souls as we put our hope in you. It's in your name Jesus that we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening. My name is Joyce Dinkins, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.