by Pastor Douglas Brauner

Jesus Lifts Us When We Fall

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

Like many people in their sixties or older, I think I’m still in my twenties.

This thought almost caused me serious injury. I was taking pictures at Devil’s Churn on the Oregon Coast with my camera bag loaded with gear on my back. I was walking around on the rocks trying to get that perfect composition. Thinking I was twenty, I jumped from one rock to another, lost my balance, and went down.

Now I had another problem. Not only did I go down, but with the pack on my back it was hard to get up.

Feels like life sometimes, doesn’t it? We think we can handle anything. Nothing can take us down. Then it happens. We trip. We fall. We lay flat on the ground because we trusted in our own ability to save ourselves. We think we can resist temptation only to find ourselves falling to its seduction.

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12 English Standard Version

Tradition states that Jesus fell as he bore his cross. The Son of God through whom dirt was made, falls to that ground in humiliation. Though he doesn’t fall to sin, it is our sin that caused his fall, that causes his crucifixion. It is in Jesus that we are forgiven for every time that we think we can stand, yet end up on our knees.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

When I fell that day at the Oregon Coast, a gentleman offered to help me up. Jesus doesn’t merely offer to help, he is the One through whom we get back on our feet and start the journey all over again.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado