A Righteous Man Falls

Proverbs 24
16 For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

• Righteous men fall. Sometimes it’s a precious comfort, even vital, for us to be reminded of that. God’s word is full of examples of God’s people, righteous men, falling… Falling from the secret place of The Most High, falling from the place of blessing, falling from the place of communion and fellowship, falling from the place of joy, peace and service. But every one of them got up again and continued on! It is the wicked who are overthrown!
• Godly sorrow for sin is truly a low and bitter experience. To be found wallowing in sin and shame but then to be reminded of His holiness; or to hear again of His desire for us; to have The Holy Spirit reveal to us afresh the love, long-suffering and faithfulness of God; to see the emptiness and death in our flesh. To see so clearly and evidently who and what we have sinned against! But Godly sorrow leads to repentance! Hallelujah!
• Sinful choices may have terrible consequences affecting relationships, testimony, family and posterity but the righteous repent! A righteous heart sorrowing over sin grieves the loss of intimacy and communion with The Father but will confess sin and cry out to The Lord! “It is not falling into water that drowns but lying in it. It is not falling into sin that damns but lying in it without repentance.” Thomas Watson.
• Repentance does not necessarily remove consequence! This is a powerful and fearful truth but, praise The Lord, repentance does remove guilt and it does remove shame! Hallelujah! “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10. It is truly shameful to find ourselves fallen… But we need not stay there!! In Jesus Christ there can be restoration of communion and fellowship with our Heavenly Father! How much better to fall into the hands of The Lord than to remain in the torturous hands of the world! (2 Samuel 24:14)

Matthew 18
21 Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?
22 Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!

• If we are commanded to be so forgiving towards our brothers for multiple offences how much more is Our Father willing to forgive us?!! What an incredible comfort for us!! Be encouraged today brother or sister!! Confess and repent where you have to, forsake the flesh and obey The Holy Spirit’s conviction but do this knowing that forgiveness and restoration are what The Father longs for and promises!
• GET UP!! GET UP IN JESUS NAME! Get up and get to Jesus! Pour out your heart before Him, cry out to Him! Oh He is slow to anger and so willing to forgive! Hallelujah! Bless His Name!

1 Samuel 12
19 Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so that we will not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil—to ask for a king for ourselves.”
20 Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You have [indeed] done all this evil; yet do not turn away from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
21 You must not turn away, for then you would go after futile things which cannot profit or rescue, because they are futile.
22 The LORD will not abandon His people for His great name’s sake, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.

Psalm 37
23 The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step].
24 Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him.

Psalm 145
14 The LORD upholds all those [of His own] who fall And raises up all those who are bowed down.