Again

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again (Proverbs 24:16 KJV).

We quote this verse as encouragement. We use this to say get up again. We use it to say finish the race. And we should use it for these. I want to look for a moment at a deeper perspective. 

I think we forget about God’s amazing mercy. If you read Psalm 136 you will find that all 26 verses end with for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. We think though that we sometimes have gone beyond the limits of God’s mercy. We are very quick to tell others that they have not gone too far to overcome God’s mercy. Yet when it comes to ourselves we try to limit it. We think somehow we fall over and over that God is done helping us get up. We think we have to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. We think of what it says about David in 1 Samuel 30:6 (KJV) David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. Did David pull himself up by his own bootstraps? In a manner of speaking. Look deeper though. He encouraged himself in what? In the Lord his God. He knew that God would not forsake him. He knew that God hadn’t brought him this far to leave him now. He knew that God would help him again. 

That’s where we have trouble. That God is standing there ready to help us up again. Again, after He has already helped us up from possibly the very same thing. Again, although we knew better. He helps us up again. 

You may think, “but you don’t know what I’ve done.” I would say what do you think is worth more than what Jesus did to purchase your forgiveness? Also let’s look at this discussion in Matthew about forgiveness. 

Matthew 18:21-22 KJV 21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Peter may himself have been thinking about the verse in Proverbs 24:16 when he said this. He may have been thinking that 7 times is plenty. Jesus though multiplies this because grace multiplies mercy and forgiveness. He saying forgive again and again and again, etc. So if Jesus gives us this requirement don’t you think that He will hold Himself to the same standard? Of course He will. 

So stop talking yourself out of the grace of God. Stop belittling yourself. The devil is the accuser of the brethren and you shouldn’t be helping him by accusing yourself or others for that matter. 

So when we quote For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again (Proverbs 24:16 KJV). We must remember that God is standing there with his hands outstretched to help us up again. To pick you up again. 

Psalm 145:14 KJV The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down .