Will Jesus Keep Us From Falling or are We On Our Own

Metal fire escape stairs on the side of a textured building, sepia

My late husband and I traveled in the ministry for many years. He preached, and I played the piano for our country gospel duo. I played sanctified honky-tonk. My husband said I beat the piano to death.

Once we were ministering in a storefront church that was housed in one of those old rock buildings, typical of downtowns everywhere. We were staying with the pastor, who lived in an apartment above the store.

Do you know how tall those old buildings are?

Well, this one seemed taller than most. Maybe I remember it that way because of the terror I still have when I think about what almost happened there. There was a long wooden staircase rising from the cement parking lot in the back to the second-story entrance of the parsonage. The staircase was not enclosed. It had wooden rails and open steps that were just planks. I was nervous every time I walked up them.

The Pastor’s daughter was a lovely teenage girl, who loved children and was very responsible.
One afternoon she was watching our toddler, Rebecca, while her mother and I talked in the living room.

A sudden chill came over me.

I had every confidence in the girl, but I got up and went to her room to check on Rebecca. She wasn’t there.

I found her crawling down those stairs. She could have fallen through the openings or off the edge so easily. My heart still pounds when I think about it.

Every parent has those kinds of stories to tell. No matter how much we love our children, they get out of our sight once in a while.

Thankfully, God doesn’t get distracted. He’s always watching us.

But today we’re not talking about God protecting us from physical harm.
We’re talking about something much more important.

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
The definition of the Greek word “keep” is “guard.”

So, what’s He guarding or preserving us from? He’s guarding us from falling. Why? So that He can present us faultless before the presence of His glory.

All of us sin. I’m sure not one person reading this post feels faultless. And you’re not if you look at your actions. But that’s the wonderful thing. When it comes to eternal salvation, God doesn’t look at our actions. He looks at the sacrifice of His Son. The reason Jesus is able to keep us from falling and present us faultless is that He lived a perfect life on earth and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

God has appointed you faultless.

He has covenanted you faultless. You didn’t become faultless by not sinning. Does that mean we don’t have to try not to sin? Of course not. But we will never be successful by our own efforts.
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Jude 1:24 Now, unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

The Greek definition of “exceeding joy” implies dancing. Can you see it? Jesus jumping up and down for joy while we’re standing in the presence of His glory.

Friends, we need to remember that the devil is the one who accuses us; the one who loves to show us our faults. God sees us as pure and innocent because He sees us through the blood of His Son. Can you see yourself through that blood? It will give you great peace.

Lord, Jesus, Thank you for keeping me for over a half-century. Thank you that you’ve never lost track of me or forgotten about me. I love you, Jesus.

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