In its day, Fort Morgan was state-of-the-art. The five-sided fortification, tightly embedded into the surrounding landscape at Mobile Bay, protected Alabama during the Civil War. Its brick walls and dry moat were effective against the growing threat of Union troops advancing from the sea. The fort stood firm until August of 1864, when troops led by the famous Admiral David Farragut pushed through the defenses and entered Mobile.
Bob WeathersFort Morgan still stands majestically by the bay, like an elderly sentry still on its watch. But the old stronghold now faces enemies more testing than the cannonballs of Farragut. Almost two centuries of seaside weather, hurricanes and winds, as well as the inevitable reduction in funding to maintain the fort, are taking their toll. The ceilings are cracked and lime deposits are infesting the inner walls as water has leaked in through the years.
“We need help,” says David Blankenship, the fort’s historic site manager. “The fort is significantly in danger.” In the end, the fortress that withstood direct, aggressive assaults may be defeated by shear inattention and the heavy hammer of time.
But the fact is, most fortresses, though they may stand strong against direct attacks, will eventually crumble if neglected.
That’s why we lose spiritual battles. Neglect. Inattention to our spiritual health erodes that fortress which God has called us to construct. We might win the occasional major battle, but neglect catches up with us. And spiritual health is not neutral. If we are not restoring our spiritual strength, then it is quietly eroding. Eventually the weather of life, the busyness, stresses and problems that we face crack the fa?ade we try to hide behind. And, like a lack of funding, a lack of detail to nurturing our character will also take its toll. Before we know it, we are significantly in danger of spiritual collapse.
“Stand firm,” Paul writes, “and hold to the teachings we passed on to you” (2 Thess. 2:15). But you cannot stand securely in truth you have never learned. So be sure your fortress stays solid and secure. Nurture the interior walls. Refresh and rebuild daily. Read the Bible. Pray. Because, if you don’t, when the battles come, the erosion will show. And by then, it will be too late.