WALLS

Tear down that wall.  Build that wall.  We hear a lot about walls so I looked up “wall” in the Bible.  Wow.  The word wall is used over 250 times in the NIV!

Walls of water allowed the children of Israel to stay dry – twice.  Walls that went all the way to the sky caused fear.  Walls were built and other walls came down.  Walls kept people in and people out.  Walls secured cities.  Salvation was called a wall, but so was hostility.  Some walls were covered in gold.  Some walls had holes in them and others could be scaled with the help of God.

Of course the best wall story is Joshua and the walls of Jericho.

Can you imagine the shock when Joshua told the people, “Listen up.  The Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, seven priests with trumpets and the fighting men are going to march around Jericho for the next seven days.  The first six days you will only march around the city one time.  It is not that big of a deal and shouldn’t take too long.  Now, when we march, the priests will be blowing their trumpets but the rest of you are to be perfectly quiet.  Not one peep.  On the seventh day it will go a bit different.  Line up as usual but put on your most comfortable shoes because we are going around seven times and then the priests will sound a blast and you are to shout.  I want you to give it everything you have.  Shout so loud even the walls will fall in fear.” 

Shout they did and the walls came down!

TEAR DOWN THAT WALL

There are walls in our lives that need to come down.  How about that wall that goes up called stubborn?  Brick by brick we build walls of resentment, bitterness and allowing old wounds to keep us from being free.  We build walls so others cannot see we are hurting or lonely.  Sometimes possessions, commitments, work and even people add bricks to the wall that traps us. 

Why don’t we just take a sledge hammer to that wall and whack away? 

Sometimes we are afraid of what would happen if we “let down our guard.”  Sometimes we are not strong enough or courageous enough to change.  Sometimes we do not even know how to begin.  Sometimes it is because life has always been this way and we don’t know any different.  Sometimes it is because we listen to a voice that says we do not deserve any better. 

Set yourself free.  Tear down these walls.

ALLOW GOD TO BUILD A NEW WALL

Tear down a wall.  Build a wall.  Confused yet?

We need a wall around us.  We need to be safe and protected.  Our souls are vulnerable and we need a wall that will not fall down when man shouts.

And there is only one who can build such a wall – GOD! 

The amazing thing is that as God builds HIS WALL, our walls start to crumble.  Stubbornness, resentment, bitterness, old wounds and the walls we hide behind are replaced with bricks of grace and mercy and forgiveness.  As God builds HIS WALL, possessions, commitments, work and even people change in value and are replaced with a giving spirit, God’s plan and work and we are influenced by people He places in our lives.

The amazing thing is that as God builds HIS WALL, our walls start to crumble.  As bricks of wisdom go up, fear is replaced by strength and courage and we listen to the voice of truth.

Set yourself free.  Walk away from the wall you have built around yourself and step onto an eternal foundation with a wall so strong it will never fall.