Have you ever attempted something and failed? For me, it’s controlling my appetite, losing weight, and getting enough exercise. I’ve been sick for a whole month, mostly sitting or lying around at home. I feel really bad. And I feel like a failure.
The current theme of this blog is how God through his Spirit speaks directly into our hearts as we read his Word. Today this principle was illustrated. As I was studying biblical word usage this morning in a technical way not related to the theme, these two verses popped up. I felt the Lord poking into my heart.
LXE Psalm 37:23 The steps of a man are rightly ordered by the Lord: and he will take pleasure in his way. 24 When he falls, he shall not be ruined: for the Lord supports his hand.
Rewritten for a female child of God, the same verses sound like this:
The steps of God’s child are rightly ordered by the Lord: and he will take pleasure in her way. When she falls, she shall not be ruined: for the Lord supports her hand.
When my little granddaughter was a toddler who had just learned to walk, I so enjoyed holding her hand as the family took our little trips down the sidewalks of town. I had to pay good attention and not let the sights distract me, because once in a while she would stumble and completely lose her balance, body beginning to fall. Because I held her hand securely, she was safe.
God is like this. He firmly grasps our hand as we walk through life. He takes great pleasure going along beside us. He’s delighted to be with us, holding our hand and guiding our walk. Sometimes we do trip and fall. We fail in our endeavors, or we make bad mistakes. But these two verses teach that our stumbling will not destroy us. God is firmly grasping our hand in protection, and he always helps us back to our feet.
God’s personal message to me this morning: Don’t berate yourself; I love you in spite of all your shortcomings and failures, and this is not the last page of the book of your life. I am still here beside you, and I will never let you go. I love you.
That’s enough for me. God’s love is sufficient.