Samuel Ridout

"Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12). That is true for all of us. We are not to think of ourselves as incapable of falling. Peter's history, and the history of thousands of God's people would show, alas, that when self-confidence comes in, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Let us beware of self-confidence. Let us rather, as I Peter 1:17 exhorts us, "Pass the time of our sojourning here in fear." Sooner than we dream Satan will use our very confidence to trip us to our fall. How many of us, yea, can any of us be sure to stand a single hour without falling? Where shall we find human steadfastness sufficient to maintain us from dishonor to our Lord? God alone is "able to make us stand." Oh, to realize more and more that we have not strength to hold ourselves up a single moment, any more than those linen curtains, apart from the pillars. We must hang in faith upon our blessed Lord to be holden up. Thank God, we shall be holden up, for He is able to make us stand.