Daily Affirmations - Day 6 - Are You Able? - To Stand

Day 6: To stand

I cling to You; Your right hand upholds me

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Our Father in heaven, Creator of galaxies, You who order the course of the sun so that it rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other (Psalm 19:6); You who are great in power, whose way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of His feet (Nahum 1:3)— You reach down Your hand from on high to deliver, to rescue, to save (Psalm 18:16, 144:7).

You are the God who reassured a people with no standing, no power of their own: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

But to keep them from self-elevation, You reminded them that their only standing was in Your grace and love: The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you… (Deuteronomy 7:7-8).

We too, only stand in Your grace and Your love. You give us the same sobering message against self-righteousness and self-importance:

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy... poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior... (Titus 3:4-6).

In short, we are saved only by Your grace, and we are upheld and sustained only by Your grace. Let this be a constant reminder so that we follow Your command to Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2); and Your command to bear with the failings of the weak in areas where we are strong (Romans 15:1).

You caution us against the pride and hubris of thinking that we are standing firm. We are each susceptible to the same temptations as everyone else, and can only resist and remain standing through the grace of our faithful God who provides a way out (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).

Thank You, Lord for the way out. Thank You for the kindness and love of our Savior. Thank You for providing the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against the devil's schemes (Ephesians 6:11). And thank You, that together, we can stand in strength as we keep on praying for all the Lord's people (Ephesians 6:18).

In these days, when the love of many grows cold as lawlessness abounds, help us to stand firm to the end (Matthew 24:12-13). And now we commit ourselves and each other,

To Him who is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen (Jude 24-25).

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