Posted: 17 January 2025

From a sermon given on 12 January 2025:

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
(Psalm 37:23-24)

David illustrates two contrast to ponder. If the lord orders the steps of a good man, how comes that the same man may or will fall occasionally? Being a believer doesn't make us perfect or exempt us from experiencing challenges common to man.

God doesn’t make us divine robots devoid of thinking and making personal decisions. This makes falling and rising inevitable forming an integral part of an imperfect Christian journey. Further scrutiny of David's illustration portrays a man who is never knocked down into eternal condemnation, but rather a man who is willing and enabled to rise up again and walk into victory courtesy of the same God.

Life is full of the "knock you on your backside" moments. These are moments that you did something that led to your downfall or something completely out of your control made you fall. When we fall, we don't have to remain there.... "Thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Further Readings:

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
(Psalm 34:19-20)

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
(Psalm 40:2)

Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.
(Micah 7:7-8)