FITNESS WORKOUT
Today we’re going to look at courage, and an unexpected example of courage. In this fitness workout, you will have to dig deep and choose courage. There will be a moment, or moments, where you will have to choose to continue doing the work and not give up and hold back.
You may look at the workout and think, “There’s no way I can do this.” You can. Just take it one rep at a time.
Or, you may look at the workout and think, “Oh, I got this.” You won’t. You will taste your ego, and that’s okay. Humble yourself and choose to keep powering through every rep.
Remember, courage is a choice. When it gets hard, remind yourself of this.
15 Min. AMRAP
50 Cal Assault Bike (Or Row if no bike is available)
100 DB Hang Snatches 50/35
150 Wall Balls 20/14
The catch- Every 5:00 starting at 0:00, 25 Lateral Burpees over the Dumbbell.
FAITH WORKOUT
By Greg Amundson, founding CrossFit Athlete, Owner of CrossFit Amundson, has been teaching functional fitness and Krav Maga for over 19 years, has served in both State and Federal Law Enforcement for over 20 years in numerous capacities to include SWAT with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office and as a Special Agent (SA) with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on the Southwest Border, graduate of Western Theological Seminary, and is the author of 7 books.
Biblical Courage:
The Old Testament is full of pictures and images that achieve their greatest portrait of truth in the Gospel. In this sense, although the Old Testament contains biblical history, it also provides a framework for many great theological principles that are more fully developed in the New Testament and life of Jesus Christ. As a case study, let’s revisit the familiar story of David and Goliath.
Reflect back on childhood presentations of David and Goliath. If your experiences were anything like mine, you were likely told to “Be like David” in an assortment of different ways: Be courageous! Believe in yourself! Have confidence in your abilities!
The problem with this exposition is that it distorts the point of the story, because the “Be like David!” interpretation puts the emphasis on David, rather than the One whom David is meant to point us towards. Furthermore, it teaches an unbiblical view of courage, because it focuses on David (and his courage, faith, confidence, strength, abilities, capacity, etc.) rather than focusing on God—the One who gave David courage in the first place.
Here is the main point that I want to make in today’s Faith Workout: If you want to have “Biblical Courage” then you need to take the emphasis off the courage and focus on the One True God who makes your courage work.
A Modern Example:
I remember when I was going through U.S. Army Basic Combat Training, my senior drill instructor told me, “Everyone wants to be in the Army on a bright, sunny day.” Following a dramatic pause he said, “But there aren’t any sunny days in the Army!” In my walk with God, I’ve found that it’s the same thing. It’s easy to have courage when everything is going good, and it’s a bright, sunny day outside. However, what happens when our world falls apart, and there is hurricane beating down our front door? That’s when the size of our courage really doesn’t make much difference. What matters is the size of our God.
Our Identity in Christ:
I want to bring your attention to a very important detail in our study. You will recall that King Saul tried to dress David up in his suit of armor (1 Samuel 17:38). Although momentarily donning the armor, David quickly realized he could not fight in it. David exclaimed, “I cannot fight in these, because I have not tested them” (1 Samuel 17:39). David was not about to establish his courage by donning a coat of armor that he had not tested. David’s courage rested in God alone.
On the other hand, Saul was convinced that his armor would protect David and boost up his courage. Remember, it was after Saul had said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you” that he dressed up David in his armor (1 Samuel 17:37). This meant that Saul had the formula—but he lacked the courage.
I really want you to get this point. It’s absolutely crucial.
Saul believed in God, that was not the issue. The issue was that despite believing in God, Saul’s courage was still wrapped up in his armor. Like most things in the Old Testament, the armor in this case represents more than just a bronze helmet or breastplate. Saul’s armor symbolizes all of our idolatrous attempts to gain courage through something other than God Himself. The bronze armor is our bank account, our jobs, our homes, our health, our fitness, our network of friends, our social status, and our ego. The bronze armor is anything and everything other than God.
A Hidden Character:
I want to introduce you to an often-overlooked character on the battlefield. His name was Jonathan, he was Saul’s oldest son, and he was witness to everything that happened during the battle of David and Goliath. Following David’s victory, “Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow, and his belt” (1 Samuel 18:1-4).
Jonathan saw something in David that he wanted in his own life. The fact that Jonathan gave David everything that identified his royal succession to the throne is extremely significant. Jonathan no longer wanted to be identified with his old self. He wanted a new identity.
Our Identity in Christ:
Rather than reading the story of David and Goliath and walking away thinking, “I want have courage like David,” I propose that we should pray that through God’s grace we could be like Jonathan. Becoming like Jonathan means that we love the Lord Jesus with all of our emotion, our entire mind, and every bit of our physical strength. Just like Jonathan surrendered his tunic and his robe—representing the artifacts of his ego—we must likewise surrender every aspect of our life to God. When we come to God in faith through Jesus Christ, God will give us the courage we need to achieve what we could never do on our own. In other words, we win the battle, not according to anything that we do, but according to the victory that Jesus has already fought and won on our behalf.
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION OR PERSONAL JOURNALING:
1. After today’s workout, has your perspective on courage changed? Why, or why not?
2. Do you ever struggle the same way Saul did? Even though you believe in God, your courage is still wrapped in a bank account, job, home, health, fitness, network of friends, social status, or your ego? Basically anything and everything other than God?
3.Is there a situation right now where you need courage, which Oxford defines as “the ability to do something that frightens one,”? How does today’s lesson impact or change the way you might approach it?
