Ever watched a man stumble and fall physically? It could be funny in a cartoon but it usually isn’t in real life. In a race or some other kind of athletic contest, it’s sad to see. It becomes instant failure.

[Our son knows this pain as he was about to win the 2019 NCAA D1 National Steeplechase Championship. A first-time-ever stumble over the last water barrier cost him the title … but it became a hallmark story of resiliency in the next race.]

Stumbling can be more than physical too. This is especially where God wants us to take aim. Moral and mental stumblings abound. Same with our emotional and relational breakdowns. Any of these four can really trip us up. And they all hurt. We get in the way of ourselves and others, and pileups ensue all over the place. Many of these crashes carry great consequences.

God wants us to make this electrifying, three-way connection: His Word, great peace and stumble-free living. Scripture intake begins the flow of great peace in us. And it also offers tremendous help with our “footwork” so we move along through life largely stumble-free.

Putting it all together and connecting the dots, this is the BIG IDEA — Savoring daily intakes of God’s Word provides tremendous peace and places us on stumble-free routes in life no matter what we face, however steep the climb.

Reflect: Are you stumbling just now? Got any moral, mental, or emotional failures you’re dealing with? How about relationship breakdowns? How at peace are you in facing your current life situations? What Bible-intake move(s) could you make today to insure greater peace and better footwork?

A prayer to consider: Heavenly Father and Sovereign LORD, thank You for providing great peace and promising stumble-free living through Your Word, served up strong and right on time. I see it played out in Jesus. Do it in me too.

Even if I fall a thousand times, keep getting me up by Your Spirit and giving me words of truth, Your promises, great peace and good confidence to keep going. I need this.

Help me to love your Law and bring others to this peace and sure-footed confidence too. Amen.