By far one of my favorite parts of being at Arrowhead (or really any football stadium) is when the players run on to the field from the locker room. The Kansas City Chiefs come out with fire and smoke and the environment is electric! They march out with straight-up bravado and an obvious pursuit of winning. Isn’t that what we all want each day? To “suit up” and go after it? To be confident and bold in our knowing that no matter what the day brings, that God has provided for us all that we need?
One of my favorite parts of having the fortitude (yes, for me it takes endurance to plow through year after year) in reading the Bible and trying to get to a deeper understanding is that you happen across the most amazing scriptures. They seem to be freshly planted just for me for this moment in time. I came upon one of those this week, and it couldn’t be more relevant for the launch of a new year and a new season.
“Don’t be afraid, DON’T WAVER. March out BOLDLY tomorrow, GOD IS WITH YOU.” (2 Chronicles 20:17 MSG)
I have learned not to take one scripture out and shine a light on it, without understanding and being sure the context is appropriate. Sure enough, this one is spot on. The topic is of a battle, where God is basically saying, “this is not yours to fight.” What if we prayed this prayer in the face of our concerns, challenges, fears? What if we put it in our phone and on our refrigerators or bathroom mirrors, as a reminder… “Dear God, I pray that I won’t be afraid, that I won’t WAVER, that I WILL MARCH OUT BOLDLY, and know that you are with me, no matter what me or my family faces today,” or “Dear God, I pray that our country, despite the many tensions we face, that our leaders and communities will not WAVER… but will see that this is your battle and they will MARCH OUT BOLDLY, and ask you to center them and be with them.”
I find great power in this. I find it to be a perfect reminder, that we should be praying boldly. Like in this story, God has repeatedly said that He will fight our battles… If we can make praying this scripture an intention this week, I feel it could be a game changer. No matter what happens on the “field” today or on the “fields” of our lives, we can know that God is with us. That, my friends, brings so much peace and joy.
Sending you BIG LOVE and BOLD PRAYERS today as I write this.