When the Strong Fall

     As I was taking my daily walk through the woods today, I came across a large tree that had fallen over, possible taken by disease. It was sad to see such a majestic tree lying on its side with its roots thrust strangely up in the air. I started noticing other trees that had fallen.

       

There was a large elm tree that was snapped off about three foot above the ground, broken like a small twig, probable by a very strong wind.

I found a massive cedar tree that was blow over. It was still living although most of its roots were exposed. As it fell it knocked over numerous other smaller trees that were under its canopy.

I saw another cedar tree that was bent over right at the ground. Strips of bark and wood splinters were sticking out in every direction. If a tree could feel pain, I’m sure that this would have been an extremely painful injury! I recalled seeing a fallen sequoia tree in Yosemite National Park. It must have been over 25 foot in diameter and several hundred feet long. It roots dwarfed the people standing next to them. Some cataclysmic event must have happened to fall this giant of the forest!

I also recall seeing a healthy hackberry tree, in our front yard, get struck by lightening. A great ball of fire came down the trunk of the tree, literally blowing the bark off the tree. The tree was dead in just a few days.
     Seeing these fallen trees reminded me of how sad it is to see a strong Godly person fall, or be overtaken by some type of sin. Sometimes these people recover and are restored back into the kingdom of God and sometimes they never recover. Quit often when a strong person falls, their fall causes many others to fall with them.

     Numbers 16 tells us of Korah who was a member of 250 princes who were all famous in the congregation and men of renown. Korah led these princes in a rebellion against their leader Moses. Moses tried to reason with them but they would not talk with him. God allowed the earth to open up and swallow them up including their houses and goods!

     In II Samuel 24, King David did evil by numbering the children of Israel. Joab, David’s captain of the host, tried to stop David, but Joab was unsuccessful. God was angry with David and sent a pestilence upon Israel and smote seventy thousand people. David’s heart smote him after realized his sin, and he was repentant. God forgave David and David continued to serve as king of Israel.

     In I Corinthians 9, the apostle Paul, one of the giants of the New Testament Church, tells us that he disciplines his body and trains it to do what it should, lest he falls (or becomes disqualified). If someone of Paul’s stature is concerned about falling, how much more should we be on guard lest we slip and fall from God’s grace.
     Knowing that some will fall, God gives us instructions on how to treat a believer who has fallen. Galatians 6 tells us: “if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
     Be on guard lest you fall out of favor with God, and remember, if you do fall be quick to repent and get back in favor with God!