Lord, Prop me up on my Leaning Side
Psalm 37:24
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
I was traveling down one of the roads in Cabot, Arkansas the other day when I noticed an old house with something unusual around it.
The old house was near dilapidated having been there for probably many decades.
The paint was all but completely worn off the outside walls.
Grass and weeds had grown up all around it.
But the thing that stood out to me was the props that stood against the house.
Yes, the old house was about to fall over. It was leaning toward destruction!
But somebody had the bright idea of propping up the house on the leaning side!
Did it work? Sure it did! Those props were indeed holding up this old house and was keeping it from falling.
Now, I don’t really think it would be safe to spend the night there, and I would not recommend anyone even step a foot inside just for a few minutes.
But somebody had the intuition to place some long heavy planks against the house, hoping they would hold it up a little longer.
I was thinking that maybe the other sides of the house was in okay shape, but somehow this particular side of the house had some sort of decay, weakness, or fault that caused it to lean forward.
Sometimes we feel strong and secure in the Lord, knowing we have built on a strong foundation; and let the winds blow what may, we can stand against the storm!
But then over a period of time the storms do come, the winds do blow, difficult times do come, and the brightness does fade, and we begin to lean!
We don’t really intend to lean, we are sure our foundation is secure, but when the storms come, when temptations are coming at us from all angles, when the pressures of life begin to press against us, sometimes we begin to lean.
And if we don’t do something about it, the things of this life will cause us to crumble to the ground.
But that doesn’t have to happen to a child of God!
When we find ourselves leaning, we have a God who will support us!
He will prop us up so we won’t fall!
You know King David wasn’t always a strong and courageous man!
He didn’t always stand tall and sturdy!
When temptation knocked on his door, he found himself
Leaning!
When trouble came, David began to lean!
But then He cried out to God; “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.” Psalm 57:1
Lord, let me lean on you! Hold me up Lord while I am going through these troubles. Don’t let me lean ‘til I crumble to the ground in a hopeless mass!
Oh, that old hymn of the church
What a fellowship, what a joy divine
Leaning on the everlasting arms,
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Chorus
Leaning (on Jesus), leaning (on Jesus)
Safe and secure from all alarms
Leaning (on Jesus), leaning (on Jesus)
Leaning on the everlasting arms
Oh how sweet to walk in the pilgrim's way
Leaning on the everlasting arms
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day
Leaning on the everlasting arms
What have I to dread, what have I to fear
Leaning on the everlasting arms
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near
Leaning on the everlasting arms
We are living in troublesome times! We are living in perilous times!
Many are predicting that we are seeing only the beginning of troublesome times.
David Wilkerson, Pastor of Times Square Church in New York City, and author of the book, “Cross and the switchblade” has made some frightening predictions concerning the future of this country.
He feels God is about to bring judgement upon America like we have never seen before.
In these times of peril and danger, what are we going to do?
Where are we going to go?
Who, or what will we lean on?
“Oh, Pastor Lowe, I don’t need anything to lean on!”
Honey, you had better find something to lean on, because when troubles come and all you have depended upon is gone, you will crumble to the ground.
When sorrows come, I must lean on Jesus.
When disappointments come, I must lean on Jesus.
When temptations come, I must lean on Jesus.
When our faith begins to waver and we begin to lean, you need someone to prop you up so you won’t fall.
When temptations come and they cause you to lean, let Jesus prop you up on your leaning side.
Ps 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Ps 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
Ps 44:6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.
Ps 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
I will see that God will prop me up on my leaning side!
How many of you this morning feel like you are leaning?
You are leaning because of certain circumstances that has happened in your life.
You are leaning because the storms of life has nearly blown you off your foundation.
You are leaning because there is a fault or sin in your life.
You are leaning because fear and doubt has taken control.
Ask God to prop you up on your leaning side this morning.
