On the Level

On my drive to youth group at church, I used to listen to the contemporary Christian music of Out of the Grey. I especially liked their song “Steady Me” off of their album, The Shape of Grace. The chorus is:

You steady me
When I lose my step
And I start to stumble over the edge
Steady me
And once again
It amazes me how gracefully
You steady me

If you’ve spent any time building something new, you understand the importance of a level. In construction the level is a tool with a calibrated glass tube that contains liquid with an air bubble in it. The glass tube is mounted in a frame that is used to measure and determine whether surfaces are plumb or horizontal. If the level is off, you can bet that your construction will be uneven or crooked.

It’s just like that as we build upon our faith. When we hit the bumpy places in life, we can tilt and get a little lopsided. We straighten ourselves back out by leveling our lives according to God’s commandments. The Christian walk is a daily aligning of our hearts with God’s Word. We make adjustments to our paths according to Scripture so our feet will be steady. Proverbs sums it up like this:  

“Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:25-27, NIV)

We All Stumble

Even if you feel like you’re an asymmetrical mess (I know, I’ve been there!), God can take your lack of balance and bring back the security. He can deliver you from slipping into erratic patterns that are unhealthy and frustrating. And the Lord can restore peace to your life with His consistency.

But you must be willing to hand the blueprints over to Him. Hebrews 3:4 encourages, “For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.” (NIV)

By yielding your plans to the Master Builder, you agree with the Psalmist who prayed, “Search me, O, God, and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23). In this moment of faith, God steps in. He hushes your accusers and says, “This young person is mine!”

Sometimes we all slip. So don’t allow your spirit to become weighted down with the guilt of condemnation. Instead, keep moving forward in your faith and receive the grace of God, which liberates you from Satan’s calloused finger of blame. Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart…and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV)

~ Jackie O.