WALKING WITH GOD
Becoming Men of Valor
Standing up for righteousness and committment to godly life principles
- Adam R. Cole // March 23, 2009
We grow up in a world where the idea of valor is ingrained in historical narratives that have come to define our present day reality. We often hinge valor on the backs of Marines, primarily the ones that stormed Normandy and Iwo Jima, fighting for their country and the world as they sought to restore peace. Those World War II era Marines landed on beaches where they were almost guaranteed to die or be wounded, especially the ones who landed in the first waves, yet they still went forward, surrendering ownership of their lives for the greater prospect of securing peace.
Though we may not storm the beaches in the same way, we too, can live with such a valor, simply by standing up to a world full of lies, deceit, greed, where people fulfill lusts of the flesh, and where people want to achieve their own self interests above everyone else. It is when we turn from those elements and turn to God and His righteous that we take on a similar valor. While it may not mean facing bullets and almost certain death, it does mean that we must ‘own up’ to the call God has for us, to be good husbands, to be good fathers, to be good brothers to one another. Living with a godly valor looks into the eye of these things and does not back down and instead lifts up the heart to the Holy Father and says, ‘use me, shape me, let me be a change agent for you.’
Living as men of valor, as was explained to me at a recent conference with that title (minus the living as), comes only with a humble heart and a dedication to getting close with God and His word each and every day. By seeking Him out, by developing a relationship with Him, there is no way that we can’t succeed in the mission that He has for us.
At the beginning and at the end of this Men of Valor conference, they asked the participants to take a knee, to pray for a more godly walk, to pray that we ‘make good’ on all our relationships, to sustain the fire, to love our spouses and significant others like Christ loved the church, to make time for our kids, and most importantly to give God our all day and in and day out.
Adam Cole
Living for God - sharing His love throughout the earth.
This authory is a former party boy who discovered Jesus Christ at what was a crashing rock bottom moment, and is now a naval officer living for His glory.