Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling...
- Jude 24
The older I get, the more stumbling hurts. I stuck my toe in some deep carpet while walking through a convention hall a while back. The resulting stumble was minor - imperceptible to anyone who might have been watching - but the back pain was immediate and lasting.
Stumbling hurts. And though I am being literal at the moment, it is also true metaphorically.
Stumbling brings pain into our lives, and often to those around us.
A problem though: We all stumble in life; missed steps and missteps, bobbles and trip-ups that don't usually result in full face-plants. They are painful nonetheless.
We casually gather ourselves, look around to make sure no one noticed, and limp away as gracefully as we can muster.
When we stumble, it is usually not due to a lack of willpower (and I am speaking of life/faith stumbles). Most of our stumbles result from a lag in relationship.
There is One who goes before us, who walks with us, who shows the way. He is a light to our path and a compass to our course. He points out the rocks and roots (and carpet monsters) that might catch our feet. But we must follow. Striking out on our own will lead to stumbles... and pain.
Now a dose of reality: We will stumble - probably sooner than later. (This blog is, after all, entitled A Stumbler's Walk!) We will face-plant. We will at times wobble and drunkenly stagger. But there is grace in the One who points out the path. He is also the One who steadies the falling and picks up the fallen. He is the duster of hands and knees. The cleaner of muddy faces. The healer of bruises and the bandager of cuts and scrapes.
He is the one who says, "Follow me... walk with me..." And with a smile he leads - while he nods and points out a carpet monster.
God, direct my footsteps according to your word (Psalm 119:133), that I might not stumble.
For now...
D
