June 2, 2010
Rising and Falling Today
“The LORD sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down.”
Psalm 145:14
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As I grow older, I understand more and more how evil will corrupt my life, if I give it any chance at all. Sin will take any foothold I give it. With age, I know more about the ways I sin, but I also know more about Jesus who sustains me when I fall, and raises up all who are bowed down.
David knew about falling down, particularly about falling into sin. He failed the temptation about Bathsheba and committed adultery with her and he compounded his sin by killing her husband. Yet, David also knew about the basic plan for his life: “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, and He delights in his way” (Psalm 37:23). God wants to establish the path of your life, and He delights in helping you walk along. God also understands that we all sin (1 John 1:8-10), but God never tempts anyone to sin (James 1:13). In fact, God always provides a way of escape from every temptation, and never allows us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). When we sin, and turn off the path of God, we can expect a serious fall. But even when we fall, God has a promise for us: “When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand” (Psalm 37:24). You see, Jesus wants me to know today that He will always be holding my hand. At the beach, I see many children of all ages trying to walk up a flight of stairs. I see some children so small they have to place their hands on the stair in front of them and climb up. I really love it when I see a parent holding the hands of little children going up those stairs. I know the parents love that little child and will hold that little hand tight if those little feet slip. Jesus holds my hand every day, and when I fall, I feel most keenly the strength of His grip keeping me from falling “headlong.”
David not only understood falling down spiritually, but also getting up. In Proverbs, God said: “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity” (Proverbs 24:16). God knows all about our falling down. He still loves us, even when we fall. David also drew attention to God raising up the people who bow down before Him.
I recall bowing my heart before God and asking Him to forgive me. I knew that I had sinned, and understood that death was the punishment for sin. When I heard that Jesus died to take away my sin, I believed He forgave all of my sins because He died for me. God has raised me up to new life, in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit in my life.
Application for Today
Today I will feel Jesus holding my hand. The next time I fall down, I will feel God lifting me up again. I will see Jesus raising up people who bow down to Him. He deserves my worship today. Will you worship Him with me?
