Walls.

Friday, September 09, 2011
Walls. Have you ever been hurt? Have you ever been betrayed? Have you ever been disappointed? Has someone you’ve trusted done something untrustworthy? Have you ever found yourself living in the regret of allowing yourself to be hurt, betrayed, disappointed or let down? You may very well be living inside a wall.
Walls serve a purpose, no doubt. In ancient Bible times walls were a primary source of defense for a city. It kept dangerous people out, and allowed only the safe, trusted people inside. There was a reason to have a wall, and if you didn’t your risk of being conquered and plundered was very high.
However, there are two types of compounds that commonly use walls, and they are eerily similar: fortresses and prisons. Both employ walls for defense. However, the differences in access are miles apart. If you were to reside in a fortress, your access to the outside world would be decided by yourself. Yet, in a prison it would be decided by others.
The question now raised is simple: is your heart in a fortress or a prison?
We’ve all been hurt, but the moment of truth in healing comes when you can honestly say that the hurt someone else has inflicted upon you isn’t governing your dealings with other people anymore. That’s not to say something wasn’t learned about how to relate to others. It simply means you are the one making the decisions, and you’re no longer allowing that person of the past to make them for you.
There’s some good news, as it relates to walls, though! Joshua led an army of people around the walls of the city of ancient Jericho once. God had given him specific instructions on what to do to see the walls crumble. God told him to march, with his people, around the entire city wall a specific number of times. After the final trip around he was instructed to have everyone blow their trumpets as loud as they could, after which the wall would fall.
The marching itself didn’t cause such a seismic event that the wall crumbled. The trumpets in and of themselves didn’t force the stones to topple off one another. It was God that brought the wall down, make no mistake about it. However, it was Joshua and his people’s obedience to what God had said that God chose to honor by keeping His own Words. And the wall came tumbling down.
So today, what is it: a fortress or a prison? The truth is that if it’s our heart inside the walls, sometimes there’s not a lot of difference if the walls prevent us from living. But trusting God and following Him with our lives can bring those walls down, many times faster than we think. So pick up your trumpet and start marching…God’s up to something today!

PS: Keep praying for Marty, Jordan and baby Morgan. A long road may lie ahead, but God’s faithfulness is as certain today as it’s ever been. Also keep praying for Mary – SHE’S GOING HOME either today or tomorrow! How big is our God!?! Also pray for the family of Mr. Max Lawson. I knew Max from my time in Hot Springs. He passed away, and they’ve asked me to do his funeral Saturday at 2pm in Hot Springs. Pray God gives me just the right words to speak comfort, hope, and the message of the Cross to this family.

That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake

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