The Source – August 20, 2019

Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him.
Colossians 2:6

The Source

During the dark days of Nazi-occupied France in WWII, Hitler’s forces made it a matter of routine to round up families of Jewish descent and ship them off to concentration camps. One area where this did not happen, however, was in the small village of Le Chambon. At great risk to themselves, the residents there took it upon themselves to hide Jewish families, protecting them from deportation by the Nazis. Their courage saved hundreds of lives, perhaps many more.

After the war, a writer by the name of Philip Hallie traveled to Le Chambon. He had to see for himself what sort of brave souls were willing to endanger themselves for the sake of others. One-by-one he interviewed them. To his great surprise, there seemed to be nothing extraordinary about them.

There was, however, one factor that Hallie pursued. They all happened to attend the same village church. Every Sunday, in that tiny church, they heard what Christ had done for them. And every Sunday, in that tiny church, they learned about living their lives in him. As one elderly woman explained, “Pastor always taught us that there comes a time in every life when a person is asked to do something for Jesus.”

You see, their courage had not come out of the blue. Their deliberate bravery had not been some random impulse. Instead, through the good news of Jesus, the Holy Spirit had empowered them to possess the habit of gathering together as a congregational family. In those gatherings, they heard the message of what Christ had done at the cross to wash them clean. They learned that they were here on this earth to proclaim their Savior. They learned there are moments in every Christian’s life when you are asked to do something to the glory of Jesus.

The moments that come to you and me may not be as dramatic. But the moments will come. In fact, they come every day. As they do, remember what the source of our courage is. The source of our courage is in our regular gatherings with Jesus. The source of our courage is God’s forgiving love for us in Christ.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, move me to gather with your people. Give me the courage to live for you. Amen.