By His strength

[A lost blog post. This was supposed to be uploaded last week, but instead I uploaded the one for verse 22 twice. Alas! I’ll try to keep the order right in the future.]

“Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.”
-Proverbs 3:23

A couple of times a day, I try to take a walk around my office building, if only to get the juices flowing a little. We have a large parking lot, and there’s a sidewalk that runs around the entire thing, and so I’m usually not walking through grass or anything. However, there is a retention pond behind the parking lot, and yesterday I was beside that pond, watching a rather large snapping turtle in the grass.

As I walked away, I suddenly stepped into a crevice in the ground that had been hidden by the grass. I wasn’t at all hurt, but it was rather surprising.

In my walks, I’m used to much firmer footing. The sideways and parking lot are relatively new, and they are smooth and secure. I don’t really have to worry that much about where I step, except to make sure I’m not about to fall off the curb or something.

Wouldn’t we like that sort of security in life? The sort of firm footing where we don’t need to be looking at the ground in every step to make sure we’re not about to fall?

That’s exactly what Solomon is talking about in this verse. When you are following God, you are on that sort of firm footing. It is He, ultimately, who provides for us and protects us. He guides us in His grace, ever toward Him. We can trust Him.

Trust may not come easily. If I don’t really trust the sidewalk at my office, I’m going to staring at the ground, or maybe I won’t even walk! But that really doesn’t say anything about the sidewalk, but rather about me. The sidewalk is firm whether I trust it or not.

Likewise, God is strong, and He does not fail. Though we may be wary of the path ahead, He will guide us. Though we may worry about our food, clothing, or how long we will live, He holds us fast in His hand (Matthew 6:25-34). Though we may face trials, God is using those trials for our good (Romans 8:28).

And it is not just for this life, which is passing, but for all eternity. It is by the righteousness of Jesus that we have this firm footing, and so too is it by His righteousness that we have life. It is not if we are good enough (we’re not) or if we say the right things to God (we don’t), but by the perfection of Jesus, whose Blood was spilt for us, that we are saved.

To begin following Him, we must repent and believe in Him. He will lead you and forgive you. The path may not look all that wonderful to you. That’s okay. Trust Him for your footing; look up at His glory and follow.