Lifted Up

        There are some things in life that would be nice, but are actually impossible to do. One of them is trying to lift yourself up by your own boot straps. There may be those who have tried it but it simply doesn't work no matter how much strength you have. The straps help get your boots on but that is as far as they go in giving you an assist in life. It seems that most people like to achieve some recognition in some area of their life but just can't quite get it so they keep looking until they can find it somewhere else. When we are headed for a fall we need to have help and to have it quickly. I was standing on a pier after my Father had rowed the boat to shore containing myself and my Mother. He placed me on the pier and got on the pier himself and then turned to assist my Mother out of the boat. I must have been half asleep as I slowly went backwards and headed for the water. I actually hit the water but my Father's hand grabbed the front of my jacket and my face never even got wet. That event became just one of a number of times my Dad lifted me up before I ever hit the ground. James 4:9-10 says, “ Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

          We often find ourselves in some situation that requires the immediate help of someone else and the more dangerous that situation, the more we need to have that assistance. The older you get, the more devices you have to give you assistance in just getting around in the house. We have glasses, hearing aids, canes, lift chairs, walkers, wheel chairs and even elevators to help us in just getting around. These all take care of the physical needs of life but what about those times when you need a quick spiritual life? James reminds us of the things in life that cause us to be cast down and perhaps a bit depressed and discouraged. We may think that if we win the lottery we will be able to get above it all but the fact is, that wouldn't help. James gives us the answer when he says that we need to humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and give it all to Him and soon, if not instantly, we are lifted up before we even hit the bottom. There may be a lot of people who are discouraged today. Some of them are dealing with grief in the loss of a loved one and others are dealing with bad news about a new ailment that has been diagnosed in our life or the life of a loved one. We may try lifting ourselves with our own boot straps, that is, try to fix it in our own way but it just doesn't happen. James gave us the answer but it seems to be an answer afar off and we are reluctant to do what it says. James reminds us to “humble ourselves.” Who really wants to do that? How is that going to help? We soon find that we can indeed humble ourselves and give it all to God realizing that He Who created the universe and all that is in it, Is certainly able to take care of my problems today. You can't get this type of “lifting up” from Medline or the hospital. It comes from god Himself Who is always present as He has said that He will never leave us nor forsake us. So, let go of your boot straps and know that God is holding you up. Praise God today that He is doing the lifting up in our times of need.