“And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak to thee” (Ezekiel 2:1 KJV).

Stand Upon Thy Feet! (When Life be Lifing)

Have you heard the idiomatic expression, “Life be lifing?” It simply means life is unpredictable and full of curveballs. One day we are on Cloud Nine! The next day, we are fighting off depression.  One day, we are healthy and full of energy. The next day, something comes out of nowhere and attacks our health. The ups are great, and the downs are unavoidable, but how we deal with them is critical.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve been knocked down, the bumps in the road, the setbacks. But I often reflect on the last sermon I recall hearing my father preach before God called him home: “Young Man, Stand Upon Thy Feet!” Like the voice of God calling to Ezekiel by the Chebar River when he was a young captive in Babylon, “Stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee” (Ezekiel 2:1). “The voice of the LORD is powerful [and] full of majesty” (Psalm 29:4).

Resilience, the ability to bounce back from the downs, is built through hearing the word of God. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17 ESV). So my primary weapon against Satan’s blows is the Word of God. I let the Word speak to me daily through reading the Scriptures, meditating on them, and writing down what I hear God saying through them. I am also attentive to hear what God has to say to me through the preached word at church each Sunday and at other times. Thank God for good pastors! For “How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach; except they be sent?” (Romans 10:14-15).

Life will always be lifing! So stand tall in the face of its dispiriting adversities and unpredictability. Stand upon your feet; hear the word of the LORD and keep moving forward!

Focus Quote: “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness” –Ephesians 6:14

Special Note: Thank you, Elder Emily Ward, for visiting and praying with Ms. Jerita Knight at Fairland Nursing Center in Silver Spring, and thank you, Dr. Damon Green, for visiting, praying with, and serving communion to Mr. Tommy Britt in Upper Marlboro. Your service and visitation reports are greatly appreciated!