Falling Down And Getting Back Up

I remember way back in Bible College writing a doctrinal paper titled, “Falling From Grace And Getting Back Up”.  This was the era when the help pendants and such were becoming popular with such as are adorned with silver hair.

Grace is God giving to us that which we do not deserve.  If we received just deserts then we would be in hell for all eternity.  Having said this, I want you to know that in my life I have been the target of so-called “saints” who believed that God Amazing Grace was too good for a wretch like me.  Such is life.  The truth is they are correct.  The truth is that God does not call the qualified; but, He qualifies the called.  When I got a handle on that.  Well, you can imagine.

When we know for sure a brother or sister has fallen we need to respond in a manner consistent with the Word of God.  Look at what He says about restoring the fallen in Galatians 6:1, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”  I thank God for restoration and God’s grace.

So, how are you doing?

As The Eagle, So The LORD 5

Today is our last look at the last phrase in Deuteronomy 32:11, “As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:”

The phrase “beareth them on her wings.”  The word “beareth” is nasa’ or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw’}; a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, and can be translated advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), carry (away),.  This was a great revelation to me. The Hebrew word is “nasa” and is pronounced “naw-saw”.  I bet our space exploration program comes from this.  Now, you get the gist of where today is going.

When the eaglet gets on the mother’s back she takes off and he digs in with his talons.  Then she flies up and suddenly turns over to knock the eaglet off her back.  As the eaglet falls and is screaming from his mother he can look at her and see who she flies and he can follow her example.  One puff of wind and the eaglet is flying.

As we parent children with special needs it “feels” like God has dumped us off His back so to speak.  I have to tell you that I have felt this way often.  Now I look at it much differently.  I have seen this example in the eagle play out in our lives time and again.  We have to learn to watch the Father and stretch out our wings and do it His way and then we too can fly like the eagles.

During this whole scenario of training of the eaglet the father is flying far above the mother and the eaglet watching to ensure no predator interferes with the training of the eaglet.  God our Father is watching over us from Heaven and He cares so deeply for us that He allows us to go through this training.  Oh, how He loves you and me.  He knows what you are going through as you parent one of His special children.  Look to Him for strength for today and hope for tomorrow.  Maybe even the next minute is your need.  Look to Him.

So, how are you doing?

It’s Darker Than It Has Ever Been Before

Just before leaving the funeral home where his wife was celebrated, a man was asked if he would like for another family member to take his young daughter with them so he could have time to grieve.  The father responded, “No, we will go through this together.”

That night as the father was going to bed his daughter called to him and asked if she could sleep in his bed with him.  He readily agreed.  When the lights went out the daughter asked the father, “Daddy is your face turned toward me?”  The father assured his little girl that his face was turned toward her.  The little girl said, “Okay, I can go to sleep now.”

When the little girl had fallen asleep the father slid out of bed and on to his knees at the bedside and prayed.  He said, “Father, is your face turned toward me?”  God the Father spoke to this man in the depths of his heart and said, “Son, my face is turned toward you.”  This father replied, “Then I can go to sleep now.”

Dear friend, I don’t know what you are going through; but, rest assured that you have God’s undivided attention and that His face is turned toward you.  He loves you so very much that He cannot take His eyes off of you.  Remember the truth of Psalm 30:5, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”  Hold on my dear friend, joy is coming in the morning.

So, how are you doing?