By Mark J. Ward
Remember that old, yet familiar commercial about the elderly lady who "fell and couldn’t get up"? I forgot the actual product that was being marketed in that ad, but the "concept" of people falling and not being able to get up stays with me. Well, spiritually speaking, we need to note that whenever we fall (or sin), we have a "choice". Will I "give up" and just "quit"? Hopefully not! Many just quit altogether when they fall spiritually, it is sad to say. The message of this article encourages us all to take the attitude of heart, "I have fallen and I CAN Get up!"
Please notice the chart above and the references made to those whom some could consider "big heroes" in the Bible (Moses, David, Peter and Joshua). These were inspired men, who tried to serve God. They made mistakes in their lives. Only Christ lived without sinning.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Numbers 20:10-12 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts [also]. 12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
II Samuel 12:1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2 The rich [man] had exceeding many flocks and herds: 3 But the poor [man] had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. 5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, [As] the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this [thing] shall surely die 6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. 7 And Nathan said to David, Thou [art] the man. 8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [that had been] too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife [to be] thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give [them] unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For thou didst [it] secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also [that is] born unto thee shall surely die.
Matthew 26:69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before [them] all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another [maid] saw him, and said unto them that were there, This [fellow] was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto [him] they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art [one] of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, [saying], I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
What about you and me? What about the application we should make to this concept? What if Moses had "given up"? How about David, he sinned "big time" some would think, yet did he give up? And Peter, of ALL people! He was one of the chosen 12 by Christ! Did he just "give up" when he sinned? There are great lessons for us in the Bible. Some folks, sad to say, DID give up from what we read in the Bible. Hopefully, they changed before they died! If you fall, are you gonna’ Get Up? Or, Give up? What about me? I could give up, let the devil win, and lose my soul eternally! (The devil would really LIKE that, you know). And, yet, God is still waiting, loving, patiently desirous that we all repent and then continue with a life dedicated to serving Him faithfully (See 2 Peter 3:9ff).
If we "mess up", let’s don’t just forget about it and go on (without first making it right with God). If we "mess up", don’t throw up your hands and quit! If we fall down,
GET UP!…DON’T GIVE UP! --mjw