On God's Path

Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when he delights in our way;
though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.

—Psalm 37:23-24

So how can my steps be made firm, even though I might stumble? Here once again I find I need to change my definitions. The first casualty of my literal interpretation must certainly be the word step, since I doubt the psalmist is talking about physically walking in this brief passage. My "steps" are the way I make my way along the path I am taking. And if I am on the right path, then my steps are firm. If I take off after something that catches my eye but shouldn't, my steps will no doubt weaken. I can't fall, however, because I am on God's path, hedged about on the right and on the left by the Christ who walked it ahead of me.

On this date 400 years ago, a months-long gathering of the faithful was just drawing to a close in Dordrecht, Holland. They had words to speak to the issue of whether or not a Christian who stumbles will ultimately fall all the way down:

For God, who is rich in mercy, according to his unchangeable purpose of election does not take his Holy Spirit from his own completely, even when they fall grievously. Neither does he let them fall down so far that they forfeit the grace of adoption and the state of justification, or commit the sin which leads to death (the sin against the Holy Spirit), and plunge themselves, entirely forsaken by him, into eternal ruin.*

Keep me on your path, O God. Lead me by your light, follow me with your protection, and may your presence by my side lift me up should I begin to fall; in Jesus' Name, who taught me to pray: Our Father...

*Canons of Dort 5.6