keep your balance

When I was in school my mom put us in gymnastics and dance to help us learn how to be graceful. One of the things I had the hardest time with in gymnastics was the balance beam. Common sense says that if you want to keep your balance you look at your feet. The beam is very narrow and you don't want to make a mis-step. The problem is that looking at your feet and where  you place them actually makes it more likely that you will fall. The instructors told us that the best way to keep your balance is to keep your eye on the end of the beam.

Life is chaotic right now ans there is so much going on around us that we are tempted to look at our feet to try to keep our balance in life. There are so many scary things going on that we are trying to avoid getting caught in a situation. We try to protect ourselves form the virus, from violence, and from the destructive forces of our own sins. We feel that if we can just watch where we are going, we will be safer. In reality we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. He is our security and our source. 

The bible says in Jude 25 and 25  "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen" We need to spend time with God in both prayer and study and keep our eyes on him. He is the one who is able to keep us from falling. 

In Isaiah 41:10 we read "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Sometimes all we really need is an awareness of God's presence in our life. When I was in elementary school, I was walking a narrow balance beam when I was at the park with my Grandpa. I started having trouble and he reached up and let me hold on to one of his fingers. There is no rational reason that this should have helped. There was no way he could help me if I started to fall. Somehow, though, the The just the fact that I could touch him gave me the confidence I needed. It is the same with God. 

The things that we are going through right now are not a surprise to God Here is what He has to say in Isaiah 43:2.

        But now thus says the Lord,    

    he who created you, O Jacob,

    he who formed you, O Israel:

    “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

    2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

    when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

    and the flame shall not consume you.

    3 For I am the Lord your God,

    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

    I give Egypt as your ransom,

    Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

    4 Because you are precious in my eyes,

    and honored, and I love you,

    I give men in return for you,

    peoples in exchange for your life.

I believe that it is 365 times in the scripture that we find the words, "Do not fear." Take heart and keep your eyes on him who is able to keep you from falling.