Wobblin’, Wanderin, and Walkin’ Back Home

Well, alright now, Butterbean, why in the world don’t you jus’ pull up one of them there comfy rockers and be ‘a-gittin’ yourself settled right on in real good like a tired ol’ hound dog ‘a‑floppin’ down on a shady porch step  ‘cause we’re ‘bout to take a lil’ ol’ stroll through the life of Abraham. And let me tell you right now, this here feller was a whole lot more human than the flannel‑graph version of him we done grew up with in Sunday school.

Romans 4:1-3 tells us plain as day that ol’ Abraham was counted righteous not ‘cause he done strutted ‘round ‘a-doin’ everything right but ‘cause he done believed God. That’s it. Real faith. Not perfection. And thank the Lord for that ‘cause ol’ Abraham stumbled more times than a newborn calf ‘a‑tryin’ to stand on a muddy creek bank.

When God done first called him out of Ur, Abraham hemmed and hawed and dragged his ol’ feet like a stubborn ol’ mule. And when he finally did leave, he done brought Lot right on along with him, even though God done told him not to do it. That there little ol’ decision done caused more drama than a henhouse plum full of broody chickens.

Then, there was the time he done told Sarah to be ‘a-pretendin’ she was his sister. Not jus’ once, but twice. That there man done folded under pressure faster than one o’ them cheap ol’ lawn chairs at a family reunion. And when God done promised him a son, Abraham tried to speed things up by ‘a-fatherin’ a child with Hagar. That there choice brought enough heartache to fill up a whole hay barn.

Those there were just a few of them times when he done dropped his bucket o’ faith and acted real disobedient that really marked Abraham’s life. And Buttercup, that there is exactly why Proverbs 24:16 makes me want to be ‘a-standin’ up and ‘a-wavin’ a church fan in the air while I’m ‘a-twirlin’ ‘round. It says, “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.” That there’s Abraham’s whole story in one ili’ ol’ verse. But here’s the part that done makes my heart be ‘a-settlin’ down like a lil’ barn cat in a sunbeam. He might stumble, wander, wobble, or fall flat on his face like a clumsy calf a‑tryin’ to find its legs, but he never stayed gone. Faith kept ‘a-pullin’ him right back up to his feet and ‘a-sendin’ him right back to his God, who done called him, loved him, and counted him righteous ‘cause of his faith.

First John 1:9 reminds us that “if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive and cleanse us.” Acts 3:19 says that “when we repent, our sins get wiped away.” That there means no stumble is too big, no fall too messy for God to be ‘a-liftin’ us right back up and ‘a-settin’ us a‑walkin’ forward again.

A true believer may fall, but that there believer jus’ can’t keep on ‘a-stayin’ comfortable in sin. That there person’ll always be ‘a-beatin’ a path right back to the cross just like ol’ Abraham did.

Father, I be a‑thankin’ You for Your patience when we git to stumblin’ and Your mercy when we git to wanderin’. Help us be quick to turn back, quick to trust, and quick to keep walkin’ with You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Now go on out there, Junebug, and you keep on ‘a-movin’ forward, even if you git to feelin’ like a wobbly lil’ ol’ goat a‑tryin’ to balance on a slick stump. That there same God who done lifted Abraham back up is a‑reachin’ out to you, too.

With joy,

Gwen