Fortified!
Dennis and I have lived in the house we built for almost 30 years. He and his brother built the fence around the property a few years after we moved in and it is still standing today. Now, that’s not to say it doesn’t show signs of hard times…weathered, leaning, and even rotted in some areas. But, when I see new construction fences showing those signs after just 5 or 10 years, I know that ours was built well.
We’ve had storms that have huffed and puffed and tried to blow it all down…and a couple of times they ALMOST did it. We’ve had to prop up a section that took a beating, but thankfully none of the fence has ever been completely taken out. In the troubled areas, instead of tearing it down and starting from scratch, Dennis has “fortified” the existing fence by putting in new, off-set 4x4’s, rot board and pickets so that the fence is doubled up with old and new, to give it strength.
Fortified…that’s a word I’ve heard since I was a kid, but mainly in commercials for sugary cereals; a claim of added vitamins and minerals to help moms feel better about feeding their kids junk! When I looked it up, the word has several different meanings. Fortify means to 1) to protect or strengthen against attack; surround or provide with defensive military works. 2) to make strong; impart strength or vigor to. 3) to increase the effectiveness of, as by additional ingredients. 4) to strengthen mentally or morally.
Looking at it from a believer’s point of view, I know that Jesus fortifies me. We too were well made, in God’s perfect image…the bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. But, even in His perfect design, we succumb to the storms of life…the ones that leave us a little weathered, leaning, and even rotted in some areas. But God in His infinite wisdom knows just how to prop us back up. He sent Jesus to carry the weight of all that burdens us and when we learn to lean on Him, we are doubled up…His strength and ours. Fortified!
Aren’t you glad we serve a God that doesn’t tear us down and make us start from scratch every time we stumble and fall? When we ask for His help, He freely gives it and when we ask Him to forgive us, He does so without looking back. No returning to ground zero…just dust yourself off and pick up where you left off.