Standing firm by faith

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Samuel 4, 5, 6

I Samuel 6:20 (NIV)
20 And the men of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”

Psalm 24:3-6 (NIV)
3 Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? Who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his idol or swear by what is false. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob.

Romans 5:1-2 (NIV)
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Good morning!

Do you remember what it is like watch your little baby pull up and take its first steps? Every parent experiences a mixture of pride and fear as they watch their child become mobile. Watching tiny flat feet planted firmly on the floor, taking waddling steps with arms outstretched, is an eternal memory keeper for every parent. From where I sat as a mother, it was nerve-racking. Of course I wanted my child to stand firm, develop a sense of balance and walk without assistance. Yet, I was fearful my child might fall and get hurt. I would open my arms and coax Rachel to come to me. When she started to teeter, I would try to grab her before she went down. Sometimes, parents just have to let their children fall down so they can learn how to rise up again and stand firm.

Isn’t this what our Heavenly Father does with us?

Over the winter, I’ve learned what it feels like to be wobbly. Sometimes, if I get up too quickly or if I lean a certain way, I find myself grabbing onto whatever I can find to help me regain a sense of balance and control. It is a strange feeling when I begin to topple over. What was once a seemingly effortless part of life, has now become a daily challenge. Have you ever felt off-kilter? Where do you find the strength to stand firm and not fall down?

The Philistines made a huge error when they took the Ark of the Covenant into their cities. Their gods were no match for the Lord God Almighty. When their communities were riddles with plagues of tumors, the people looked for ways to rid themselves of this God. It never occurred to them to bow down and worship the only One that matters. They just wanted to get rid of Him as quickly as possible. Do you run from the Lord when He gets too close for comfort, or do you choose to bow down and worship His awesome presence?

Who can stand next to His majesty and holiness? There is only One who has earned the right to stand before the Holy presence of our God, His son, Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection remind us of the price that was paid for our sin. He willingly gave His perfect and holy body over to be shredded and pierced so that our imperfect bodies could be made whole in Him. Such an unbelievable act of love from the One who loves us! He would give it up for you over and over again just to restore your sense of balance. The blood of Jesus Christ is spilled out, to cover your sin, allowing you to stand firm by faith.

Have you experienced the cleansing power of Jesus Christ? Like a parent, Christ is reaching out to you today, urging you to come to Him. He knows that you may get wobbly and fall down. When you find yourself going down, reach up and grab onto the only One who can save you. He will do it! All you have to do is ask.

Are you ready to stand firm in faith? Are you willing to take a few baby steps to start, and then begin to move freely about the room? Let Jesus be your compass. Let Him guide you today, as you seek His face. Are you wobbly this morning? Reach out to the Lord, and touch His nail pierced hands. He died and rose again for you.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: balance! The Lord is waiting with open arms for you to come to Him. Do not be afraid. If you are a little wobbly this morning, reach up and take His hand. You can stand firm today by faith, covered in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Thanks be to God!
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