7-25-2019

      Good Morning All,

      Ephesians 2:19; “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God."

     Some of you remember the Berlin Wall.  It was the dividing wall between East and West Berlin with the east being under the control of the Soviet and the west being under the influence of the western democracies.  For many years, it was the symbol of the Cold War.  It divided a city, even families into to very separate entities.  That wall stood for years until it was finally torn down, brick by brick, literally destroyed by the people on each side of the wall yearning for an end of the divisions and longing for the reconciliation of the families, the friends and neighborhoods, the whole city become one again.

      It is very easy to build walls in our own lives as well.  It can be a very natural defense strategy.  If I build a wall around me than nothing can get to me and I cannot be hurt or called upon to worry about someone else.  If I build a wall I can avoid any chance of involvement.  We use the walls to divide our time, our loyalties, our passions, our trust, or dreams and our hopes.  It seems easier somehow when we wall off portions of our lives; we think it cleaner that way.

     We build walls in our faith life as well.  We build great big walls.  We build walls so thick and so high; we don’t even remember what is on the other side.  We build walls to keep God out.  When we build walls to keep God out, we let the devil tell us what God is like.  Since we don’t see God or truly know God, we listen to the devil tell us that God is vengeful, angry and full of hatred.  The devil tells us that if we even try to even touch that wall we will be struck down.  The devil will tell you the best thing to do is to build the wall thicker and higher making the distance between you and God even farther causing you to be even more hostile toward. 

     So, God did the only thing that would work.  He intervened in our life.  God broke down the wall between us.  Jesus died to destroy that wall then rose again to open the door of salvation.  There is no wall between us; we are no longer strangers and aliens to God.  God has put it to an end.  We can see God for what he truly is.  He is a God who loves us and loves his creation.  If the devil was right, why didn’t God just totally destroy everything and start over?  He kept it because he loves it; he loves us.  We still face our challenges but God is there to comfort us, defend us and to give us hope.  The devil will continue to tell us to rebuild the wall and at times we do, but God continues to destroy it until the day when we finally receive the ultimate act of God’s love; when we reach heaven to live in eternity with him.     

Gracious Lord, you have destroyed the walls that separate us from your love.  Forgive as we try to rebuild them.  Shower your wondrous love upon us.  Give us strength to face the day, comfort those in need of your love and bring peace to the hearts that are restless.  In your precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret