Uncertain Footing

Scripture: Jude 24-25 – “Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

There are many similes about how uncertain life can be. Life is like a roller coaster. A house of cards. Flying blind. I’d like to add another. Life is like walking on a dock on a stormy day.

The part of the dock that is closest to the water floats upon it, so it can rise and fall with the tides. It provides a flat place to moor a small craft and then walk to more stable structures on land. Most of the time, there is a pleasant bobbing, and one is easily able to move across it. But on stormy days, when the water is especially choppy, it can be very hard to keep your balance. You might drop what you are carrying, let a rope slip away, or fall onto the deck or into the water. It can be very dangerous when your stability is taken away from you.

Trying to live a life of faith can be the same way. Most of the time, things can be easy. Your sea legs will see you through most things. But sometimes, you just cannot keep your feet under you, and it is very easy to lose your focus, let important things and people slip away from your care, or lose faith entirely when you are disappointed or afraid when the world seems topsy turvy.

We all go through times like this, even those who claim to have unshakable faith. The question is, how do you get back on your feet?

One of the last and seemingly least of the letters in the New Testament is the Letter of Jude, attributed to Jesus’ younger brother. It was written as a time when people came into the community and preached worldly doctrines, potentially bringing confusion and division. While strongly condemning these interlopers, the letter suggests mercy for those who are struggling, recognizing them as stumbling and uncertain rather than irredeemable. This mercy comes from that faith in God and can bring them back to their feet when they need help the most.

Indeed, the letter concludes, the only one who can keep us from falling is God. God gives us the mercy and dignity we need to stand tall, no matter what storms rage around us. We recognize that God can give us a hand to lift us up. And sometimes this hand comes from someone else. As Jude indicates, we are merciful because God is merciful, and we are saved when someone shows us love in the face of our error and uncertainty.

This can be an uncertain season in an uncertain time, and amid the stresses around us, it can be very easy to stumble and fall. So, look to God as a pillar in the storm, a rope and a life preserver. And look around for others, because a kind word or a listening ear can make all the difference in the world. Stay safe out there and trust in the mercy of God.

Prayer: God, as stumble in the storms of life, may I always depend on your loving kindness. Amen.

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