Proverbs 24:16 (ASV) : 16 For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity...
It is true, we are all sinners! That is why God sent his only Son, Jesus, to Earth, to die so that whoever believe in him, will not die but have everlasting life (John 3:16). John 3:16 is a verse that has been written in every baseball hat that I have ever worn onto the field of play. However, that verse is not the point of this post, Proverbs 24:16 is.
Imagine this, you are learning to ride a bike as a kid. All your friends can ride a bike and are going to go to the community pool for the day. However, you are just learning to ride and can now do it on your own. Whoops! You fall down and skin your elbow up a little. So, you take your bike and walk it back home and never get back on it. All summer long your friends go to the pool, the fishing hole, the snow cone place and the baseball field. But, you sit at home and do nothing. You allow falling to take over your life and just assume that you will never succeed, and therefore do not need to worry about riding your bike...EVER!
OK, now let's apply that to life. You come to God and accept Jesus into your heart and as your Lord and Savior. You get baptized and attend church regularly. All of a sudden you find yourself committing a sin that had kept your away from God and his son, Jesus, for so long. What do you do? Do you sit around and wallow in your sin and forget about getting back on the bike that is a life with Christ? Or, do you take a posture of repentance and know that a righteous man will fall and succumb to sin. Otherwise, there would have been no need for God to send his Son to Earth to pay the ultimate price for our sin. Of course, you could watch your friends, families and others live a life of peace in Christ, while you lived a life of controlling sin. But, wouldn't you rather get back up on that bike and join all of them down at the pool, fishing hole or baseball field? Oh, sorry, I mean join all of those important to you and walk in the light of Christ?
No matter how good of a life you live, you will sin. From time to time it happens! Well, from second to second it often happens. However, it is how you respond that defines you in the eyes of God. Do you sit around and say oh well, there is nothing I can do, so I might as well just SIN AWAY! Or, do you get back up, dust off your shirt and pants and ask God for forgiveness and understand that there are NO PERFECT PEOPLE? Will you rejoice in the Light, or lie in the darkness? Will you worship aloud or beat yourself up quietly in the corner?
Hopefully, the answer is that you will get up the first or the seventh time and rejoice in the fact that Jesus gave it all, so that you (yes, little old you) may be forgiven of your sins and have everlasting life so long as you believe in him! What better news could I bring you on a Monday?!?!
I fall, A LOT it seems. But, you know what? I am learning to dust myself off, stand up, and rejoice in my saving grace!!! You are flawed, I am flawed...But, we are not beyond worth saving! Be secure in that fact, but do not use it as a crutch or free pass. You must be genuine. Sin hurts, and it hurts badly. If it doesn't, then your asking for forgiveness may not be genuine. There is no better time then now, to invite Jesus into your heart. It's Christmas time and you have been eyeing that new bike, right? So, hop up on it, again and again! Rejoice in the spiritual bike ride! You will fall. It's not an if, but a when! And when you do, understand that the person who is righteous and repents for his or her sin before God, will be forgiven and will grow spiritually! Who knows, maybe one day we can take off those training wheels!
Good evening and God Bless!
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