I was sitting on a couch yesterday when my stomach began to gurgle. It was time for a sandwich. Therefore, I prepared to stand up. Now I’ve been standing up for a little over 70 years without much problem. Question? Have you ever tried to stand up and you fell back down into the furniture from which you were trying to exit?

Oops, let’s try that again. (At least I was by myself. LOL.)

I nudged myself a little closer to the edge of the couch this time and leaned way forward to center my weight over my legs, and pushed. Ah-h-h, SUCCESS! Who would have thought that a mere act of standing up would be such a challenge? Who would have thought that I would have to center my weight over my legs to do so, let alone feeling triumphant when I achieved success? I didn’t make a winning shot at a basketball game nor did I score the winning touchdown in a football game. All I did was try to stand up (and on a second try at that).

I knew this day was coming but I didn’t think that it would be so soon. Of course, 72 years isn’t what I’d call real soon. My parts have been wearing out now for a while; my eyes, my ears, my muscles, my libido, my mind. In fact, I had to reread the last couple of paragraphs to remember where I was going with this. LOL.

I have learned that all truth is parallel; for every natural truth, there is an equal and corresponding spiritual truth. I have also learned that if we do not stand for faith in Christ daily, then like our outer man, our inner man can wear out as well and we can fall down [1]. After we have done everything we can – we stand [2]. However, if we fall back down on the couch of our spiritual life [3], we but only have to wait on the Lord [4], and be strong in Him [5].

v30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
v31 but they that wait for Jehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint [Isaiah 40:30-31 KJV].

The Bible says that even the youth can grow weary, stumble, and fall. Therefore, I don’t feel so bad. So what if I need to use the strength of my left arm against the door jamb to lift myself out of my car. So what if I need to start using a cane so I don’t fall on my face when standing or walking. The faith of my inner man is as strong as it ever was when my body was young and virile.

In fact, human strength will never be adequate for facing all of life’s challenges and difficulties. Second Corinthians 12:9 declares that His grace is sufficient for us and that His strength is perfect in our weakness. Therefore, when I am weak, then I am strong.

So. . .if you can’t stand and/or you fall down trying, center yourself on Jesus and get back up under the power of the Holy Spirit [6].
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[1] Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 10:13 and others
[2] Ephesian 6:13, 14
[3] 1 John 1:9
[4] Isaiah 40:31
[5] Ephesian 6:10
[6] Zechariah 4:6