How’d they do that? ∙∙

How’d they do that? ∙∙

He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. – Psalms 18:33

Psalms 119:133 When a man’s conduct pleases him, the Lord enables him to go through life with confidence (FRCL).

Matthew 18:4-7

 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

 5 And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.

 6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

 7 What sorrow awaits the world because of its stumbling blocks, which tempt people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.

Mountain goats in North America possess the astounding ability to scale almost sheer cliffs. They might be “the most accomplished and consummate climbers to ever inhabit any continent” (Douglas Chadwick). “Mountain goats can powerfully scale up the most precipitous slopes with the grace of hooved ballerinas” (Erica Tennenhouse). Their knack for verticality is unsurpassed.

Their bodies were intelligently designed to be machines built to climb.  Their nimbleness and superior grip let them sprint upwards, gaining an impressive 75 feet in altitude within a mere 60 seconds. Their uniquely specialized hooves enable them to scale seemingly nonexistent ledges on sheer cliffs. The hard outer shell of their hooves allows them to latch onto minuscule ledge surfaces, while the soft pads on the underside adapt to the mountain’s contours much like contemporary climbing shoes. Their slender bodies allow them to maintain balance on very narrow, almost invisible protrusions (thescienceexplorer.com).

2 Samuel 22:34 He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

The Hebrew word translated as deer or hind is ayyalah. The term ayyalah is used only eight times in the Old Testament. It refers to a species of deer known throughout the ancient Near East. Before the modern system of animal kingdom classification developed by Linnaeus in the 1700s, people grouped animals by function. Thus surefooted, swift animals such as sheep, goats, ibex, deer, and gazelles were grouped together.

In ancient Israel, they never saw a North American mountain goat, the apex, nimble, surefooted climber of cliffs and rocks. Had they seen such a creature, the Scriptures would likely reference a North American mountain goat rather than a deer or hind.

The animal pictured in the Old Testament became proverbial for nimble agility. Much like today, in modern colloquial English, we would say “fast as lightning.”

What would be the opposite of surefootedness, perhaps bumbling, stumbling clumsiness?

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father delights in each child of the King. He wants us to walk in triumphal adequacy.

Father, I am so given to stumbling in my walk with You. Keep my step study according to your so that evil will not overcome me (Psalms 119:133).

INSIGHT

Lamentably, the world is filled with all kinds of natural stumbling blocks. Stumbling blocks are often circumstances that impede progress or cause hesitation. A stumbling block is an obstacle or impediment, a hindrance that creates difficulty. A stumbling block can be defined as a barrier or obstacle that creates problems and prevents something from being accomplished. They often manifest as physical barriers such as small boulders or rocks, toppled trees, and so forth, which increase the chances of tripping or falling. Yet, stumbling blocks are not always tangible. They can represent any challenge or hindrance that thwarts achievement. Stumbling blocks often hinder our walk with the Father.

As children of the King, we are not immune to stumbling blocks. Without the Father’s help, even the most surefooted of us can trip and fall.

Psalms 18:32-33

 32 God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.

 33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

Safety is not the absence of danger but the presence of the Father. The Father can provide strength and safety.

Habakkuk 3:19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

How do we become surefooted as we walk through life’s trials, challenges, and vicissitudes? We do so by learning to live in yielded intimacy with the Father through Lord Jesus Christ. He supernaturally provides insight and discernment. As a result, we develop the skill to move and walk as sure-footed deer or mountain goats that we might tread every step circumspectly (Ephesians 5:15).

Living in the Father’s presence bestows us a sense of security. Each stride we take, whether large or small, is guided by His wisdom. Despite the occasional stumbles and falls, we are never abandoned. The Father is always ready to lend a helping hand. The Father always holds our hand. He prevents us from being totally and completely devastated.

Psalms 37:23-24

 23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.

But there’s more. Often even children of the King create stumbling blocks for others.

As the Father’s children grow in strength and become more surefooted, they should endeavor to protect the vulnerable and keep them from stumbling. The Father provides guidelines for the right attitudes that support wise living. Vulnerable people are to be protected and not taken advantage of.

Leviticus 19:14 You must not curse a deaf person or put a stumbling block in front of a blind person. You must fear your God; I am the LORD.

The Father recognizes individuals with physical limitations. Their material needs and circumstances should be respected rather than depreciated and taken advantage of. The same is true of the young and the innocent.

Matthew 18:6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

The Father takes these things very personally. He is by nature a good and loving shepherd, a helper of the helpless, and an avenger of wrong.

The Father sets the ideal standard for the children of the King. As Lawgiver, He imposes limits on our freedom. Causing harm to vulnerable people is iniquity. Iniquity is an action that is wrong in and of itself. In colloquial English, we might say, “It ain’t right.” Iniquity tugs at our sense of right and wrong when our consciences are not seared.

Adeptly dealt with, stumbling blocks can become stepping stones. Others will be left saying, “How’d they do that?”

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© Dr. H 2023