.....fall

When my daughter was beginning to ride her bike she discovered an all-important truth. After a particularly difficult afternoon she came inside and said; "Daddy, you know the hardest part about riding a bike? It's learning how to fall!" 

At five years of age she had discovered that falling was an inevitable part of the riding experience; but to have a "successful" experience, she needed to learn how to fall without causing damage to her body.

When we follow the call of God and step into the great unknown, we are ALWAYS successful. We are successful because success is defined as being obedient to His call, regardless of the physical results or accomplishments. We must never evaluate our walk with the Lord based on worldly criteria. Rather, we are to walk by a faith which is lived out each day through trust and obedience.

When John the Baptist was in prison, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Matthew 11:3. This question indicates some great turmoil. John preached a message of repentance to "Prepare the way of the Lord" Luke 3:4, and he described Jesus as, "one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie" Luke 3:16. And when John baptized Jesus, he heard a voice from Heaven say, "This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased" Matthew 3:17. But while in jail, John needed to ask, "Are You really the One?"

"Jesus replied, 'Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear... Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me.'"Matthew 11:4-6

The first part of this reply is what we expect. Jesus is saying, "Of course I'm the One! Don't you see the evidence?" But then Jesus answers John's real question with "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me." John was doubting because he had been sent to jail for following Christ. He had taken a discouraging fall and was questioning his chosen path. Was it possible that he should experience such hardship if Jesus was really the Christ?

Our walk with Jesus is never promised to be easy - it is promised to be eternal! We are never promised success in the eyes of the world; we are promised the true success which only His peace can give, as well as an eternal glory in the presence of God! His plans and purposes are perfect and will most surely include aspects we cannot understand, include times when we become discouraged and appear to fall. These are times we must fall without falling away! 

In falling we must fall closer to Jesus and learn to trust Him even more. We can have a successful journey even through apparent failure; we will always be successful if we continue to follow where He leads and learn how to fall. 

- steve troxel