I've Fallen And I Can Get Up

“The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” (Ps 145:14 AV)

In reading the commentaries, they believe the ‘falling’ and ‘bowing’ are weariness caused by the burdens of life.  One thinks of a beast of burden who is carrying a load a bit more than he can.  He struggles and often takes rest.  He may fall to his knees.  Yet, he rises again to carry the burden assigned to him.  ‘Upholdeth’ and ‘raiseth’ are two degrees of the same thing.  ‘Upholdeth’ is to prop up as one is moving.  To raise up is just what one might think it is.  Once the beast has fallen, he is raised up again.  The promise here is that no matter what we might be facing, the LORD will sustain us through it all.  He will not remove the burden.  That burden is ours to carry.  Whatever burden we are asked to carry, it is for His glory and our growth.  Burdens, if yielded to, will grow one stronger.

This morning, very early, the LORD woke me up to pray for some families going through very difficult times.  Some I knew exactly what to pray.  Others, I didn’t know the particulars of what might ease their burden.  The outcome is clear.  What the LORD desires for them was not in question.  However, when praying for things that involve the choices of others, the clarity for exactly that which we must pray can become clouded.  One common need in all of these situations was the truth above.  Each has their burden to bear.  Each is overloaded with that burden.  Each needs the LORD to uphold them or perhaps pick them up so they can continue on their life’s journey under the load assigned to them by a God who knows far better than we what we need and what He desires.  What is particularly hard is the timing of all of this.  There were several who have lost someone close to them.  This will be the first Christmas without someone who was the life of the family.  It will be particularly difficult.  Some suffered great loss from the tornado that went through Mayfield, KY.  They have absolutely nothing in their possession this Christmas.  Others have health issues, financial issues, and relationship issues.  Each has their particular burden to bear and they believe it is too much. 

It is easy to say the words above.  Especially when you are not the one going through deep waters at the time.  But it is still nonetheless true.  So, what is the point of today’s devotion?  Maybe you and I have a light burden at the moment.   Perhaps we are walking under our load just fine.  Or, it could be the LORD is upholding us and our burden only seems as light as it is because the LORD is there with us.  There are, however, dear saints who have troubles we can only imagine.  What do we do?  We can offer words of encouragement.  Sometimes that works.  Somethings it has the opposite effect.  Perhaps we can offer a hand by making something for dinner or offering to run an errand.  We can offer counsel if asked for.  There are several things we can do that we might be the hand of the LORD that upholds or raises up.  There is one thing, however, we can all do and that is to pray for one another.  We can go to the LORD and even if we do not know exactly what the answer might be or how to get there, we can pray the LORD of all creation would uphold or raise up those who are struggling under the burdens of life.