by Pastor Doc Adkins
Psalm 30:1 “I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up…
I’m sure you are familiar with the expression “upsy daisy”. It’s a phrase I have heard most of my life and yet for whatever the reason it seems forever ever ago since I actually have heard it. But, the other day, I saw a grandmother with her little granddaughter or maybe even great granddaughter and the beautiful little gal evidently had just learned to walk. Actually, she was doing pretty well but, it wasn’t the walking that seem to be the challenging thing…it was the stopping. As soon as she stopped…down on her little bottom she went and immediately Grandma, in that Grandma assuring voice proclaimed, “upsy daisy”. And you know what? The beautiful little girl laughed out loud. You see “upsy daisy” is the phrase we use when we want to give encouragement to our children when they are learning to walk or when they’ve had a fall. It means “up you go”.
I think that God does the same with us. We go walking along in our Christian life and hit some bumps in the sidewalk or maybe we even fall into a big hole and God helps us up and says, “upsy daisy”.
He brushes us off and tells us everything is going to be okay.
It’s not fun when we are down and we find our lives turned upside down. It’s sometimes hard to see everything in the right perspective when we aren’t standing upright. But we have a God who cares about us and is there when we get down and He helps us up.
There are some great examples in the bible of some people who had some “upsy daisy” moments.
I think of Job first and foremost. I guess because when he went down, it was with such a sudden force and a big thud. Here he was, going through life so blessed by God and all of a sudden, Job was laid low.
So much happened to Job in such a short time but God was with him all the way and in the end said, “upsy daisy, Job”.
Job is such a great example to show that when we don’t see God, God still sees us.
It’s like when a toddler falls down and doesn’t see his mother because she’s out of site for a little bit while he’s lying on the ground after he’s fallen. It’s kind of scary. But then after a few moments when he sees the face of his mother and knows she’s there to help him up, he’s okay again.
Job might not have been able to see God but God could see Job and Job knew God was still there within reach. What’s worth remembering is that even though he couldn’t see God, Job still obeyed God.
Job 23:8-12 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
It’s so exciting to see how God said, “upsy daisy” to Job. The Lord had a way of showing Job that all was okay. God lifted up Job and put him upright on his feet once again and “the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10).
And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and everyone an earring of gold.
Job 42:10-12a So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.
Conclusion:
Maybe you feel like your life has been turned over on its head and you are feeling the pressure of an “upsy daisy” moment. Just hold on. God knows you are down. He’s not far from you.
I know it’s hard to be thankful for those “upsy daisy” moments in our lives but don’t you just love the fact that it is God that does the “upsy” part. It is Him that lifts us up. It may be through several circumstances that work together but God has His hand working in all of it.
There has been many a moment that I’ve wondered why I’d been brought so low but those are the moments that I’ve seen God the closest and had to rely on His encouragement the most.
If I just look around for Him and listen to His voice I know He’s there even when I’m down and I know I can get through anything when I have Him with me.
God has that way of giving us His presence and saying, “upsy daisy”. It’s all going to be okay. You’ll get back on your feet again. Up you go!
So, are you thankful for your “upsy daisy” moments?