Skip to main content

Upheld


          The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.   (Psalm 37: 23-24)

We’ve been talking about perspective a lot, and today’s passage is yet another example. What does it mean that our steps are made firm? Does that mean we know exactly where to put each foot? Does it mean that everywhere we walk, it’s on an absolutely smooth slab of concrete, with nothing growing up through the cracks to trip us, or hide a change in level that will trip us? Does it mean that there will never be “wind and waves boisterous”? Likewise, what does it mean that a person will stumble, but not fall? What does it mean to be upheld with his hand? 
          The most obvious meaning invokes a picture of walking hand-in-hand with God. If you trip or stumble, His strength keeps you from falling off the trail, over the cliff’s edge. He keeps you on your feet. But the other equally obvious thing is that if He has a hold on our hand, we can’t go wandering off. We are both upheld and held up, and like children of every species around the world, sometimes, we find that frustrating!
          A second way of thinking about this passage is to ask what makes a person’s steps firm other than making the terrain smooth and flat. Three ideas come to mind. First, there is faith. If you believe you can cross the terrain, you’ll step out with more confidence. Secondly, strength. If you have strong legs and strong ankles, you’ll have more confidence in your steps. The third thing is a good pair of  hiking boots or shoes. There are places I will tread without a moment’s hesitation when I have hiking boots on that I wouldn’t dream of attempting to cross in bare feet, flip flops, or stiletto heels. 
          The first two have fairly simple application in our lives, but what is a good pair of spiritual hiking boots? In Ephesians 6, it talks about having our feet shod with the boots of the preparation of the gospel of peace. In this passage, the suggestion seems to be God, Himself what makes our steps firm. He’s our boots. Another possibility would seem to be His will. If you are walking in His will, you need fear nothing.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...

Think About These Things

                 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) This passage is a major challenge for me. Like everyone else, I struggle to keep my thoughts from wandering off into the weeds, then wondering what possible benefits those weeds might have… Sigh. But as a writer, I have to delve at least a little into the ignoble, wrong, impure, unlovely, and debased. After all, there’s no story if everything’s just as it should be and everyone’s happy. As Christians, there are times when we need to deal with all the negatives, but that makes it even more important that we practice turning our minds by force of attention to what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. It’s just too easy to get stuck in a swamp. With my...

A Virgin?

           Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)           This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)           But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”            “How will this be,” Mary asked the...