Learn How to Fall
10-21-04

When my daughter was just 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 because success is defined as being obedient to His call - regardless of the physical results of following. We must never evaluate our walk with the Lord based on the success or failure criteria of the world, but on 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 points to some great turmoil going on with John. John preached a message of repentance to "Prepare the way of the Lord" (Luke 3:4), and he said of Jesus; "But 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 now while in jail, John needed to ask: "Are You really the One?"

Matthew 11:4-6
"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, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me.'"

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 "fallen" into jail for following Christ. Was it possible that John would experience such hardship if Jesus was really the Christ?

Our walk with Christ is never promised to be easy - it's promised to be eternal! We are never promised success in the eyes of the world - we are promised the true success of peace and contentment now and eternal glory in Heaven! His plans and purposes are perfect and will most surely include aspects which we cannot understand - include times when we appear to fall. These are times when we must fall without falling away. In falling we must fall closer to Jesus and trust Him more. We can have success even in apparent failure, but we must first learn how to fall.

Have A Great Day!