More ways to fall, but one way to stand

Did you ever see Balanced Rock in Colorado? There it stands, pivoted precariously upon its base, held up as if by some invisible hand. As we saw this marvel of nature, we thought of this fact: What an object lesson for God’s children? We can fall many ways, but we can stand only in one way. None of God’s children is kept from falling but by the encircling and undergirding “everlasting arms!” How heartening to know that our God neither sleeps nor slumbers; that He is ABLE to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory, because our lives are foundationed upon the Rock, Christ Jesus! “On Christ the solid rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand!” –Dr. Joel D. Arnold (a Hebrew Christian)

     Not even a knock

Testified Olga Kristensen, who spent forty years in China as a Missionary:

“Toward the end of my stay I had nearly eighty refugees at the mission station besides the women living there. One night we heard the bandits approaching. There were shots at the end of the street. We all knew that without intervention, murder and disaster were on the way. I went into my closet and prayed to God for word to calm myself and the others with me. My tortured soul then found a word I had often read before, but which now had a real meaning for me–‘When thou lies down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea,…thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.’

     Could I have a better message? I brought it to all the others and told them to go to rest. When I was going to bed I was tempted to lie down with my clothes on, but after a little struggle I undressed and, lying down, slept soundly. Next morning the dead were lying outside our premises. There had been fighting and murder, but no one had even gone so far as to knock on our door. –Free Methodist

      “There shall no evil befall thee”

I was journeying northward after a winter’s teaching in the South. As the day went on, our train came upon a wreck. We were held behind it for many hours until the night fell. Then came the order to run around the wreck.

     As our train ran by the burning wreckage, the passengers from our sleeper flocked to the rear platform to watch the wreck. Under the same impulse I sought the rear of the car. The platform was crowded with spectators. Naturally I stepped across to the front platform of the car adjoining ours.

     I laid my hands upon the iron rods at the side. Lifting my foot I was about to step out upon the platform. There came a sort of gentle arrest to my spirit which stayed my step for a moment. The next instant I was conscious of a cold breath of air upon my cheek, which should not have been there if the car door were closed. In another instant I realized that someone had left the door wide open, and the platform lifted, and I was about to step out through the darkness from a fast express train to what would have seemingly been certain death. I walked forward, sat down in my berth, pulled my hat over my eyes and had a quick blessed season of thanksgiving with the Lord. –James

 

Highland Church is in Louisville, KY.