“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” Psalm 37:23-24 NIV
When my niece was learning to walk she would often stumble and if an adult was not nearby sometimes she would completely fall. However, regardless of how bad the fall seemed at the moment, she would always rise. Even as a little one she understood something, “ If I am going to walk, I must be prepared to fall.” It would seem ridiculous to us if she one day got down and just decided, “That’s it, I quit, no more walking for me. It is too hard.” Yet over and over again we see that happen in the spiritual lives of adult believers. We only like things steady under our feet. We only want to move if the ground is secure. The fear of stumbling makes us often unwilling to proceed. Our fear becomes our focus and God’s promise is devalued.
The idea of falling in this passage implies not getting up again. It implies giving up on the journey of walking and surrendering to the fall.
Like my niece, on this road of learning we will all stumble, but to the one who delights in God, they will not fall. In other words, they will not stay down. They will rise again, and again, and again. They understand that their stumbling is part of learning to walk and the more they continue to move forward and delight in their God, He makes their footing firm.
Looking back now, the things that use to make my niece stumble no longer can. Her natural feet have become a lot more firm under her. Things that once would take her down in a second have lost their power to do so because she stayed in the learning journey. Her feet only became firm because she endured and took delight on the path before her. Things that we did not have to worry about her accessing because she could not get to them, now we know given the chance, she will go anywhere at speeds that adults have trouble keeping up with.
This is what God wants us to understand. Keep going, don’t let the stumble become a permanent fall. Delight in the One who is holding your hand like the adults holding the hand of a child learning. If we do, we will testify like this Psalm, never once on this road did my fall become permanent. God has been the firm footing under my feet.
Today I am grateful that the moments when my knees shook and I stumbled, that God was there to remind me that this is only a stumble, don’t make it permanent. I can testify, the righteous are not forsaken, and His seed is always supplied. I am thankful that I have been upheld by His righteous hand.
Comments(3)
Susan Craig says:
March 10, 2015 at 3:11 amWhen I was young, I was under the impression that Christians had to strive for perfection -not show any signs of weakness,struggles or temptations. So for the longest time when I slipped, I would cover it up rather than let anyone else see that I was not a perfect Christain. I do not know how I came to this point but it truely was what I thought I should do. So I became very good at deception because I did not ever want to be found out that I was an occasional ‘sinner’ even tho I was saved. When I left home and went to college, I discovered a world that was so unlike anything I had ever seen or experienced before-so of course with the freedom from my parents and church friends, I felt like I was no longer under a microscope. I slipped and fell alot during those years and I took a nasty tumble the end of my final year leaving me pregnant and unmarried just as I was about to graduate and start my nursing career. I was devastated and knew that this was not going to be easily hidden from anyone. I was down and out and as far as God and I were concerned, I really thought I had blown it and committed the unpardonable sin. After confessing and repenting from my sin, I sought forgiveness from God and my family and friends. No matter how many years have passed since then, I still have problems with feeling guilty and trouble forgiving myself. But I do know that God has forgiven me and He has helped me over the years to come to terms with those college years and the inconsistancy of my Christian walk at that time. But a big stumble and fall is not forgotten easily. These verses today remind us that God holds our hand so that when we do stumble and fall, we have Someone to hold unto to help us get back up again and continue on. The Lord did that for me many times in my life. And all the times I fail and all the times I feel like giving up, He has always been there with just what I need to get me back up and on track again. There have been many blessings that I would not have had in my life if it were not for God’s amazing grace and His forgiveness and encouragement over the years. That baby was the best gift of all-He was just what I needed to keep me honest and he added a reality to my life that nothing else could. He never has been a mistake or unloved and being his mom was just what I needed. God can bring good out of wrong choices and He did bring much good to me. The second part of these verses really speaks to me as well -I have never been forsaken by God and my children have been well provided for by my Heavenly Father. I once was young- but now I am getting old and there is a verse in Psalms that says, Remember not the sins of my youth. God does not remember our sins once they have been confessed and forgiven- and I am praying that as I continue to age, that I will someday reach the point when I will not remember my sins from my youth anymore. I am so grateful that I’m forgiven and still on this journey-still learning and still growing. I am thankful that our past does not define who we are in God’s eyes today. I am thankful that God took my mess and turned it into a message. I am thankful for all 3 of my sons-blessings given to me by God for this imperfect mom to teach,love and raise. I am also grateful that this oldest son is a true christian man who loves the Lord and tries to live for Him. His life, both his struggles and his triumphs, inspire me everyday to want to be a better, more authentic Christian.
Pat McRae says:
March 10, 2015 at 12:28 pmHave you ever woke up and God whispers something to your spirit man as your eyes are opening up. Then you go to His Word and there are words that make your heart weep because His love overwhelms you. That is me today! 🙂
You see I have stood on verse 25 so often, reminding God it is His Word not mine; His promise to me! My grandfather on my dad’s side of the family was a lay preacher for a certain denomination, when I was growing up. He was a righteous man who loved the Lord that he knew and he wanted others to love the Lord also. So he qualifies me and my girls that our food will never be withheld. I have walked the road of life for many years and I can honestly say I have never gone to bed hungry. There has always been something in my cupboard or frig for one more meal.
But I do remember one time! My girls were little and finances were tight. The horses had to be cared for first because they were our income. My mom called to ask what I was doing. I told her I was making the last meal and I wasn’t sure what I would feed the girls the next day. She asked what I was making and I told her Kraft Dinner and Wieners. A meal my girls loved, I hated and still dislike. Her remark was, “Well you should of saved one of those for tomorrow.” I just changed the subject, either she had never stood in my shoes or she didn’t want to revisit those days again.
But God! He saw the hurt, and disappointment, the worry and fear. That night as we slept a neighbour deposited in our back shed, roast beef, potatoes, vegetables, bread, a whole pie and so much more. There was enough food for the weekend and for the girls, that were in school, to have a lunch on Monday. You see, she catered functions. The function that night had not been well attended and there was a lot of food leftover. All those leftovers came to our home, and she later told me that as they prepared to serve dessert, she instructed the helpers not to cut that pie, as she had ear marked for us.
Today I am thankful that God has ordered my steps even when I didn’t see myself as a ‘good man’ because He saw what I was blind to. I thank God for all those times I have done nose dives trying to make my own path, He reached down, stood me up again, gave me a hug and then said, “This way sweetheart!” It amazes me that I can say this today, but I believe it with all my heart. I believe He delighted in my ways. Why? Because He needed someone with my unique personality and unique giftings for such a time as this. It is those paths that looked so wrong and likely were so wrong that He turn for good. He used everyone of them to prepare me to be His vessel today. To be a testimony to His love and goodness, His provision and grace.
Yes! today, I am so grateful that God never forsake me, even when I was on a wrong path He was there, loving me and guiding me back to His path. 🙂
Susan Craig says:
March 10, 2015 at 3:51 pmPat I had a similar situation happen to us when my husband was out of work and we had no food left in our cupboard-I did not tell a soul about our situation but I did pray about it. Next day someone unknown dropped off several grocery bags of food and left them on the step-to this day I have no idea who did it but I do know Who was behind it. It was just what we needed at the time and I thank God that He provided for us every step of the way. God does provide for our needs. My Mom was a Godly woman so this verse I can claim for my family as well. God is good!! 🙂