The Best Kind of Boldness

Daily Reading: 2 Corinthians 2-3

Scripture Focus: Since we have such a hope, we are very bold. (2 Corinthians 3.12)

Devotional Thought: In hospitals, I am somewhat cautious about closed doors. I pay attention to signs and respect the wishes of the hospital staff. Some pastors I know are bolder than I am, thinking they have special privileges as ministers. In one hospital I was visiting, I decided to be bold and take the stairs, ignoring the signs that said emergency exit only. I found myself stuck in the stairwell! I went up and down the stairs to various floors. All the doors were locked - even the floor from which I had entered! My only option was the emergency exit. So, I pushed open the door, set off the alarm, and found myself outside in the rain! I didn't hang around long, though, knowing that soon someone would be coming to see who had boldly ignored the signs!

I learned a lesson that day. Boldness can be good, but it must be grounded upon good facts! I was mistakenly bold!

As Christians, we can be very bold because in Jesus "we have such a hope." On what good facts do we ground this hope and boldness? Paul reveals the source of his boldness and ours, too: "Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient..." (2 Corinthians 3.4-6a).

Boldness that is based upon Jesus - not upon our own sufficiency - is the right kind of boldness to have. It may not push open all the doors of the world, but it will push open the doors of heaven, bringing us into the presence of God!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for giving me boldness to come into the presence of the Father. Help me always to base my boldness, my confidence, and my hope upon you. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 117.1-2

1 Praise the Lord, all nations!

Extol him, all peoples!

2 For great is his steadfast love toward us,

and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord!