Thought for Thursday
Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Jude 24
I had no concerns about the men who were installing a new roof on our house. They were high enough up that if they were to fall, serious injuries would result, but one of the rules for their trade was that they wear harnesses fastened securely to a safety line. If they were to fall, the safety line would prevent them from tumbling to the ground. To my surprise when I checked out the job, the harnesses were hanging on the ladder and the safety lines were nowhere to be seen. The men found the harnesses too restricting as they worked, so they opted for convenience over safety. Fortunately, they did not fall, but I worried about them the whole time they were up there. They remind me of Christians who know the truth of today’s text that God can keep us from a spritual fall, but they still venture forth without their safety line.
No safety line ever built can save the life of a worker who refuses to use it. Failing to use a safety line does not guarantee there will be an accident. But it does guarantee that, if an accident occurs, there will be injuries or worse. Just because you didn’t put on the spiritual safety line today does not mean you will have a spiritual fall. But it does mean that, if you to experience a fall, you and probably others will be badly hurt. You should always wear your spiritual safety line.
What is the spiritual safety line? Our text makes it plain that it is God who can keep us from falling. If He can keep us from falling, why do we fall? Because we have not submitted ourselves to Him and do not obey His word. We are like the construction workers who find the harness too restrictive and the lines too awkward. We need to understand that obedience to the Word of God keeps us within His protection, and submission to His will keeps us safe from a painful fall. We need to understand that we are unable to keep ourselves from falling, no matter how strong or smart we think we are. It can be a painful lesson to learn, and it’s better to simply accept God’s safety line and enjoy His protection.
If God is able to keep us from falling, let us allow Him to do so. -Jim MacIntosh