Like a Leaning Wall

Several years ago I employed my meager landscaping skills to create a tiered section of one of our flower gardens.  I carefully dug and leveled courses on which to lay the row of cinder blocks which would serve as the retaining wall of the top tier and the landscaping timbers that would serve as the retaining walls for the lower two tiers.  I was particularly partial to the lower tier retaining wall because of its rustic appearance.  Stacking three high in staggered fashion, assuring that they were level, straight, vertical and perfectly lined up.  I used a hand auger to bore holes in the stack in several places and then drove a 48″ pipe into the ground through those holes to anchor the wall and keep it in place.  I was very pleased with the result and proud of my work, thinking myself rather handy as I back filled the dirt behind those walls.  It was a masterpiece.

I stood, surveying the garden, a few days ago as I contemplated Spring clean-up chores and I noted with some disappointment that my walls were no longer stately and beautiful.  They are broken, bowed, leaning and unstable.  It would not take but a breath, it seems, to knock them over.  I sighed, softly lest I provide such a breath.

This morning I thought of my walls again as I read from Psalm 62.

“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress;
I shall not be shaken.”

You know, there are times when I feel like a leaning wall, or a tottering fence.  No longer stately and having it all together and with my feet firmly attached to the foundation … my rock … safely in my fortress!  It is a sad and unfortunate condition to be in and that is exactly where the enemy wants me to be.  At times like that I am thankful for friends who will remind me that God alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress … and abiding in him, I shall not be shaken.

But I still will need to repair my retaining walls … but maybe next year!  😉