September 24

”For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.” (Proverbs 24:16 NIV)

Today’s Bible verses draw a distinct border between the righteous and the wicked. It isn’t a matter of the righteous never committing faults and the evil always doing so. No, the Bible’s message appears to include in its accounting that both the righteous as well as the wicked act in error and commit wrongs.

‘It’s never going to work … I’m going to fail again’ – It’s easy to think this way for those who sense their own weakness. But today’s Bible verses show that the difference between the righteous and the wicked is, that the righteous rise up again, when he or she has made a mistake, while the wicked allows the error to deaden the will.

We must counter, ’it will never work; I’m going to fail again – thoughts’  with the words, ’press on’. As Christians our strength is the Lord’s grace. Our responsibility before Him is to in His strength rise up and press on. It is not our strength of character that saves us. It’s God’s grace.

Prayer

Jesus, help me today to live in grace. Save me from falling, but if I fall, give me the courage to seek Your grace, and to raise myself anew in Your power.