THUD ! The bigger they are, the harder they fall! All 6ft 1 inches of me went flat out on the ground! We were leaving the swimming pool, and it all happened so quickly. I was wearing trainers (nowadays they seem to make them with laces about a mile long) and one of them was untied. I didn’t just trip – I was literally catapulted across the floor. It seemed to happen in slow motion (you know that you are falling but can’t do anything about it, and it seems like forever to hit the ground) as my mobile phone went spinning across the floor and my glasses burst out of their case and followed the phone. A couple of people rushed across to help me up, but I just wanted to disappear quickly! I think I sprained my hand during the fall, but it could have been worse.
Well, this all started my mind thinking about falling, and my thoughts turned to a Bible verse:
For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again: But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Proverbs 24:16
As I talk about falls here, we usually think of falling into deep sin, but I want to include all types of falls. I want to include times when we seem to fall flat on our face with a THUD. Maybe we tried to do something for Jesus, but made a mess of it and fell flat on our face. It could be any number of things.
For example, think about Peter. Here was a man who had many falls. He took his eyes off Jesus when he walked on the water; Jesus had to rebuke him when he thought that the Cross wasn’t the best plan forward; in the Upper Room he boasted that if everyone forsook Jesus, yet he would go to death for Him; in the Garden of Gethsemane he hastily cut off Malchus’ ear; and then came the ultimate fall for Peter – his denial of Jesus.
But Peter got up again. In the Book of Acts, we see the man who had wept bitterly after his denial of Jesus now leading the revival that happens on the Day of Pentecost and he boldly preaches God’s Word and thousands are saved. Later, the man who had failed in his faith while walking across the water, now shows amazing faith as he believes in the power of God to heal a man who had been lame from birth who sat at the Temple gate. Peter blazes a trail for Jesus, and having been burned out for Jesus, tradition tells us that he was crucified upside down and went to his reward. What a turnaround. You see, even though he had fallen, righteous people get up again and go on with God, because they know that there is hope in Jesus. God had a plan for Peter, even though he had failed, and He has a plan for you too.
How did Peter get up again ? I suggest three things that encouraged him.
- When Peter had taken his eyes off Jesus while walking on water, we read that Jesus immediately stretched His hand out and caught him. When we fall, Jesus automatically stretches out His Hand, I believe, to pick us up again. But we have to take hold of His Hand and allow Him to pick us up.
- In the Upper Room (just before Peter’s boastful assertion that he would not forsake Jesus even if everyone else did) Jesus told him that satan desired to have him, and to sift him as wheat, but then He added, “But I have prayed for you.” Jesus went on to say that after this was all over, Peter would strengthen his brothers – you see He had a plan for Peter’s life, even after his fall. In the same way, let this encourage you, that Jesus is praying for you, and there is hope for you when you fall.
- After the Resurrection, Jesus came to the beach and made breakfast. It was a time of fellowship and communion. Jesus asked those famous questions of Peter if he loved Him, and he restored Peter back to Himself and commissioned him to feed His lambs and sheep. Once again, Jesus had a plan for Peter after he had failed. But first Peter had to get back into fellowship with Jesus. When we fall, the immediate recourse should be to get back into fellowship with Jesus. He wants to commune with us, and if we have sinned, His Blood cleanses us from all sin.
If you have fallen with a THUD, can I encourage you by the Grace of God and the power of His Spirit, to get up again. Yes, God’s people fall, but the verse in Proverbs says that they get up again. The enemy would wish you to believe that you cannot get up again, but I want to remind you that there is One Who is ready to pull you up again, if you will just take hold of His Hand. There is One Who is praying for you that your faith does not fail. And there is One Who wishes to restore communion with yourself, and to tell you His way forward for your life.
For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again: But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Proverbs 24:16
You can find more devotionals like this in the book, “Just A Moment.” Just click this link