We will not fall
There are many things in this psalm that a person can meditate on or expound upon; but for me there has been two verses that have stuck out for nearly 10 years. I remember I was in personal devotion time in Master's Commission, when I was asked to give a group devotion. I had no idea what I would do since I had only ten minutes to prepare. But I was led to this scripture. I know I had read it a hundred times but never did I understand it like I did that day.
23 If the Lord delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;
24 though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
These two verses are full of promise. So many times we feel like failures because of mistakes we've made, sins we've commited, or just plain old inadequacies. But yet, no matter what, God's promise is that though we may stumble, he will not let us fall. That is so encouraging.
I remember the moments prior to the group devotion, this revelation came to me...the perfect example of this is Peter. Peter was very rough around the edges. For being so close with Jesus, he really knew how to get himself in trouble. Yet he did one thing that no other disciple had done; he walked on water. I think we forget how significant this even really was. We tend to focus on his lack of faith, his disbelief, his near drowning; but I don't think that is what God intended with this story. See, Peter was the only person to get out of the boat and walk on water. Everyone else was afraid; everyone else had doubt. I bet everyone else said to themselves that they weren't going to make a fool of themselves in front of the other disciples. But Peter didn't it see it that way. Even though he took his focus off Jesus and moved it towards the waves, he had that drive and determination to get to Jesus. In that moment in the chapel of our church I realized that Peter, though he stumbled, he did not fall. It amazed me to think that wow! Peter could have drowned at that very moment. Jesus could have used him as an object lesson to teach the others, "See what happens when you don't trust me?" We could have had a song about 11 disciples and the man that drowned. But it didn't work that way. I believe, because of his faith - through all his failures - Jesus used that moment for the other disciples, and us, that He delights himself so much in us that He already has his hand out for us to hold in our stumbling moments.
Too many times we like to point blame at Peter for his lack of faith. But look what he became after the resurrection of Christ. He led 3000 people in a single sermon to Christ. He was there in the day of Pentecost. He died on a cross unashamed, with unwaivering faith, for the very one who held His hand out and saved him from the waves.
We may have those moments where we stumble, but because He holds his hand out for us, we will not fall. And who knows what amazing things God will do in our lives because we did not drown.
Created over 2 years ago
