Friday, February 27, 2015

K is for...

Keep praying!

I read this story (who knows if it's actually true or just a sweet way to convey a message) about an old, southern man who would always end his prayer with  "Lord, prop us up on our leaning side." When asked what he meant by that, he relayed a tale about his barn at home that had stood strong for so many years...through heat, rain, and snow, storms of all kinds.  The barn was always strong and served its purpose. One day though, the man noticed that his old barn had a lean to it.  The man went and put some supports poles on it's leaning side to keep it up.

We're kind of like that old barn.  We face so many 'storms' in this life.  Think about your life for a minute, does something come to mind?  I don't think we need a list of choices to pick from...I'm pretty sure you know what qualifies as a 'storm' in your own life.  Does your 'storm' look different than mine?  Sure, after all, it's yours.  The point is, we all get to leaning at some point.  We can put one foot in front of the other, take care of what needs to be done, be strong because we have to be, but maybe we're struggling (a little or a lot, it doesn't  matter, it's still a struggle).

Keep praying.  Pray that the Lord would prop you up on your leaning side.

How beautiful is this:

Child of My love, lean hard,
And let Me feel the pressure of your care;
I know your burden, child, I shaped it;
Balanced it in Mine Own hand; made no proportion
In its weight to your unaided strength,
For even as I laid it on, I said,
"I will be near, and while she leans on Me,
This burden will be Mine, not hers;
So I will keep My child within the circling arms
Of My Own love." Here lay it down, nor fear
To impose it on a shoulder that upholds
The government of worlds.  Yet closer come:
You are not near enough.  I would embrace your care;
So I might feel My child reclining on My breast.
You love Me, I know.  So then do not doubt;
But loving Me, lean hard.

Whew!  I don't know about you, but I'm gonna keep praying that God would prop me up on my leaning side.

I originally read this in the book Streams in the Desert (updated edition)...love it!!