Graphic: Martha G. Brady
A few months ago, my husband was in the bathroom and must have briefly lost consciousness. I heard a loud crash from the next room and a scream. I ran in to find him on the floor in a pool of blood. He had fallen and landed on his nose. It was a direct hit and his nose was obviously broken. I felt very sorry for him. He was in so much pain.
I was unable to keep him from falling that day. I felt very helpless.
We soon found ourselves in the ER getting CT scans to be sure there weren’t further injuries. I don’t think he had to stay in the hospital that time. There wasn’t anything they could really do for his nose. They were going to let it heal and if needed, he would have surgery later if his breathing was totally blocked. As you can imagine, he had some major swelling on his nose. He had black eyes too. The blood thinner he takes made the bruising worse, but he healed up before long.
Many of you who have been involved in caregiving can identify with the situation when your loved one falls and everything stops while you head to the ER to get him patched up. This benediction is a reminder that God is able to keep us from stumbling and falling. Maybe not always literally, but having the mental picture of a literal fall will help you remember this benediction. It all depends on the translation you use as to which word is used.
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling
and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority,
before all time and now and forever. Amen.Jude 1:24-25 ESV
God’s ability to keep us from stumbling or falling reminds us of how powerful and all-present He is.
The promise here is that He will keep you from stumbling or falling and will come joyfully to present you blameless to the Father on that final day. We aren’t going to arrive at that final judgement day all bruised and beaten up with black eyes. We are going to arrive in a spotless gown as the bride of Christ adorned for her groom. He will have watched over us as we were sanctified and then He will present us before God because of Jesus’ work on our behalf.
We will be worshipping and glorifying Him for His majesty, dominion and authority forever. Not only for what He did to save us, but for what He did to keep us from falling and for keeping us until that day when we would stand before Him. It is going to be an amazing time!
Another reminder that God promises to hold tightly onto us.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish,
and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
I and the Father are one.John 10:27-30 ESV
ChangePoint:
- As you read this benediction, can you think of times in your life when you are aware of God’s protection of you from stumbling or falling in your relationship to God? How did He protect you? What human forces did He use? What spiritual forces did He use? How much do you realize you have no idea all that was involved but you are glad He was holding onto you.
- As you think about the time that is coming in the future, have you ever felt afraid of that time when you stand before God? What does this benediction teach you? What does John 10 teach you? Can you think of other Bible passages in the Bible that are encouraging? What do you think the source of your fear is according to this teaching from God’s Word?
- As a child of God who understandably is undeserving of forgiveness, what do you think heaven will be like after we have stood before God and been presented as blameless because of His record here on earth? What do you think our pure worship will be like there as we are fullly aware of ”His glory and majesty, dominion and authority before all time…?”
