Texas Strong

 

Picture by Caprice Miller

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9

Along with the stars and stripes of the great American flag, the Texas flag has to be one of the most recognizable flags of our nation and, I would dare say, the world.  The familiar red, white and blue of our countries colors, but the one LONE STAR that makes it stand apart from the rest.  There is a lot of symbolism that is represented by the flag of the “Lone Star State”.  Many don’t understand, but that’s all right.  If they give a Texan a moment we’ll explain a bit about the Texas Pride that seems to puzzle so many that “Ain’t from around here”.   Sure Texas is big and we have just about every natural terrain there is. (We’ll leave the frozen tundra to Alaska though.)  But there is something even more special that is not as easily seen or explained.  It’s strength and courage that comes from being a part of something bigger than yourself.  Texas has a history of fighting for what is right and what belongs to us.  You could say Texas pride is all about Faith, Family and Freedom.  Texans are a gentle bunch, but if you want to challenge those things….well….let’s just say you better not “Mess With Texas”.  We will stand STRONG and COURAGEOUS!  Admit it, you might tempted right now to throw your fist in the air and give a big “YEAH!” even if you “ain’t from around here” – it’s contagious.   

In the verse above, Joshua, in essence, was preparing to fight for his Faith, Family and Freedom.  It was a big task Joshua was given to lead the Israelites, his family, across the river into the Promised Land.  And now God himself is telling Joshua  “…Be strong and courageous.  ….for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Can you imagine the courage that would swell inside you to receive a message from God like that?  With that kind of power with me I’m not afraid of anything!  There is a sense of pride – righteous pride – that comes with knowing that God is with you.   As Christians, we can hold our head high knowing that God is always with us.  We can stand strong and courageous in His name and defeat anything the enemy might throw at us to threaten our freedom in Christ.  We can build strong families as we instill this same strength and courage within them.  And we can stand tall in the face of fear and discouragement as our faith is proven time after time.  Imagine what would happen if we decided to walk in strength and courage every day knowing God is with us.  It could cause a ripple effect that would strengthen our families, communities, state, and country.  I don't know about you but that makes me want to raise my hand and shout "YEAH!!!" 

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9