Thoughts for the Day

The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
The Lord upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Have you ever fallen knowing as you tripped or made a miss-step that you were going down and it was going to hurt? Hopefully it wasn't a dozen stone steps or a fall from a ladder. I'm sure like me in that second of knowing the fall was inevitable that the end result flashed before your eyes. Psalm 145 is a great hymn of praise, and our passage from the middle (verses 8 to 15) says "The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down". In other words we manage to fall down by ourselves, but we get up with the help of God who is compassionate.

If we think of the word "fall" in a different concept it might be a fall from grace - someone whose sins are uncovered; or an innocent discovered to be guilty; or lies told that prove to be untrue. Social media is full of such falls from grace, but in our hearts we know when we too have let ourselves down. The gospel singer Donnie McClurkin's song says it all: "We fall down, but we get up - for a saint is just a sinner who fell down and got up!" Life is full of ups and downs, and we make mistakes. Our tongues can sing praise and the same tongue can swear or blaspheme!

Falling is a process, an action, and actions have different consequences. One tiny trip or mistake can lead to disaster or it can lead to safety as we stop the process of falling. One lie or one sin doesn't have to lead to more. God raises up the fallen and supports the downtrodden, when we put all our trust in Him.

Father-God,
in Your compassion
You sent Your son to offer us salvation.
When we are in danger of falling into sin
may Your love support us,
so strengthening our resolve to trust You
that we rise again.
Amen.