Though he stumble, he will not fall

"If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble he will not fall, for the Lord uphold him with his hand." Psalm 37:24 "Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation." Psalm 85:7 "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." Psalm 86:11 These verses all have something in common, they show the psalmist dependence on God.

"Even though they all fall away, I will not". I like Peter! I don't think I would have said it out loud but I probably would have thought it. Peter was a man of passion he loved Jesus, he would never "fall away", he would definitely never deny Jesus...but he did.

When Jesus, in the midst of His suffering, looked at Peter and Peter realized what he'd done he went out and wept bitterly. When Judas was confronted with the consequences of his actions he went out and hung himself. Both of these were self-righteous men but there was a difference. Peter humbled himself and accepted Jesus' forgiveness and salvation Judas didn't.

I was thinking that when sin is exposed in my life I feel embarrassed but that's not the same thing as humility. Embarrassment can also be the evidence of my own self-righteousness and pride. Humility is seen in how I deal with my sin. Do I look to myself for the cure or to God?

 In the Psalms I see the man who stumbles but is not hurled headlong because God is holding his hand, it doesn't say because he is holding God's hand.  The Psalmist refers to God's unfailing love for him not his unfailing love for God. I also appreciate the prayer,"Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."Psalm 86:11 I ,like the psalmist, need God to teach me His ways so I can walk in His truth. If He doesn't give me an undivided heart my heart will probably be divided.

Peter tells us in his epistle "God is opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you." I always wondered how you were supposed to humble yourself  but Peter explains it in the next verse,"casting all your anxieties on him ,because he cares for you." 1Peter 5:5-7

What a comfort to know that Jesus invites me to let go of my self -righteousness and that though I stumble I will not be hurled head long because He holds my hand. I have a Savior.