and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message–which is also what they were destined for. 1st Peter 2:8 NIV

They went caving in the hills behind the house one night. It was exciting but the trip back to the house was treacherous. A sheer cliff blocked their way. They needed to climb back up the steep face a little and find a safer way. But the oldest one thought he could make it. He did not listen to his concerned climbing companion who held the flashlight trying to see what was below in the darkness. Instead, he grabbed a small branch that was growing out of the crack between the stones where he was trying to lower himself. The branch broke off under his weight. He fell down out of view into the blackness. Have we ever not wanted to hear a warning and stumbled or fell too?

After a few concerned seconds, a feeble voice responded that nothing was broken. The man had landed in a patch of sand between the boulders below the cliff. He had fallen about four meters. God cares for us too, but if we do not listen to the warnings that He sends for us, then our plight may not turn out so well. Jesus has been given to us. He is the special stone that all our lives should be built upon. We need Him for our strength and our foundation. But if we do not care to listen to the Father, instead of being our support, Christ could be the stone that trips us up. Shall we pray that we begin to hear the encouragement and save ourselves from a fall from the very Rock that is here to save us?

Dear Lord,

Please let us see clearly where we stand so that the Stone we need to depend on can save us from the worst fall, we pray!

Amen