Falling on my rear-end 20,000 times. I was reading some research on world-class figure skaters. Why I was doing that I have no idea, but there was a great principle to be gleaned from the statistics. Shizuka Arakawa won the gold medal in figure skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. She was twenty-four and had been skating since she was age five. She won primarily because she was able to execute a "layback Ina Bauer" - which is bending backward almost double with her feet facing in opposite directions (ouch!) - leading into a three-jump combination. Ta da!! For a extremely difficult move like that to be perfected, it takes hours upon hours of practice which usually results in her sitting on her rear end in the middle of the ice. Falling is a predictable result of ice skating and even more so for those who practice the most difficult of maneuvers. For me, I prefer the "ice snail" approach. Cling to the sides with great tenacity and dare anyone to pry my cold, frozen hands from the rail. Anyway, falling is a very real part of really trying. Falling only happens when you are trying something that is beyond your skill level at the time. Falling will occur if you are actually trying to get better, to achieve a worthy goal (or gold...medal that is), or attempt something someone else hasn't like a "layback Ina Bauer."

How many times have you fallen on your rear-end? Yes I guess ice skating counts, but I was kinda thinking about something a little more substantive, but certainly becoming a better athlete, performer, or artist are worthy goals also. How many times have you fallen on your rear-end in your relationship with Jesus? Oh I hit a sore spot that time didn't I? Well, I didn't really hit you on that spot because I know that I shouldn't have physical contact like that, but you know what I mean...that question got you in the heart (ohhh, that sore spot!) didn't it?

When it comes to falling on my derriere in my relationship with Jesus, 20,000 times doesn't even come close. If I were receiving a grade on "relationship with Jesus" like from a school teacher, zero would not be low enough. There wouldn't be enough extra credit to make up the difference. My grade would still be "F" but (no not the other but_, but it does present an excellent heterograph (words with different spelling, different meanings but same pronunciation)) for the grace of God! If I have a place in my life where my ineptness towards Jesus just buries me, it is in my "performance" for him. I am all the time on my rear, sitting on the cold hard ice, looking up and saying "Yet again Lord."

As our church is led by Pastor Paul to have a better understanding of the Gospel and what we should understand about the fullness of God's love toward us, I am drawn to two verses in the Word. Romans 5:1 - " Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:20 - "...where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." In short, here is what I see and how it applies to my 20,000 (and counting) falls. This peace with God is something we have all of our life beyond our initial salvation experience. Look at the verse again - "...we have peace" not we had peace back then but we have it now because of what took placed back then. Also, in 5:20, there is grace for fall #20,001 and 20,002. The more falling I do the more grace is poured out. Hey I don't have to be able to grasp a love like that, but it encourages me to attempt a spiritual "layback Ina Bauer" again and again.