The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD and He delights in his way. And even if he falls, he will not be utterly cast down because He upholds him with His strong hand.” Psalm 37:23-24
A couple of years ago we were down at my daughter’s house who lives near Murray, Kentucky. They have blessed us with two of our eight grandchildren and if you know anything about grandkids, they are just a bunch of fun. Matt and Jen live in the country near Kentucky Lake and my wife Judy decided we needed to take a walk. Now if you know Judy you know she believes that people build houses for essentially one reason—to sleep in. If you aren’t sleeping, you need to be doing something—outside. Period.
So, naturally, we took a walk. I was with my grandson James, and we were having an adventure. Soon we were walking hand in hand. Now, James, who at the time was six, is a very thoughtful young man. So, eventually, he asks me, “Papa, what is your real name?” Now I knew what he was asking but why not have some fun when you can? So, I told him my name was Papa. “No” he said firmly, “your real name.” Well, I gave in and told him it was Dewayne.
He took a shot at pronouncing it and got close. I thought that might be the end, but no, the best was yet to come. He then asked me, “Papa (he didn’t try Dewayne) how old are you? Well, that was a good question, so I gave him the answer. “James,” I said, “I am almost 67 years old.” Again, almost without hesitation he said, “Papa, you’re almost dead.” I died laughing—no pun intended. The Bible mentions something about out of the mouth of babes, truth comes, and I guess truth be known…there’s a lot more days behind me than before me.
It was funny then and it is funny now. And it was true then and it is even more true now. As I pondered those words, it made me appreciate God in a whole new way. I freshly realized how glad I am that God, and not disease or circumstance, numbers my days. As I charge headfirst into life, especially in years of uncertainty, I know if He didn’t have a hold of me—well, it just wouldn’t be pretty. Only eternity will tell how many times He saved me from pain and suffering and the consequences of thousands of bad decisions.
Years ago, while reading the Bible, a passage jumped off the pages and into my life. It said, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD and He delights in his way. And even if he falls, he will not be utterly cast down because He upholds him with His strong hand.” That is such a powerful truth. The fact that God directs my steps, that the path He chooses for me is cause for Him to delight and that when I fall, He’s got me…well, that is good, good news. And the best part is, it is true.
As we get ready to leap into 2024, it’s good to know that we can have someone like God holding our hand. If you are a Jesus follower you know all about that and, if you aren’t yet, He is just waiting for you to take the leap of faith. Why not give Him a try? God’s not big about denominations or even religion but He is really big about loving you and He wants to walk with you into this New Year. While the number of our days is unknown and even how those days will play out are a mystery to us it is not unknown to our Dearest Daddy. And when it comes to life, we can rest assured that He knows all about life and has it all under control. You might say, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne
Grits with Grace 