Walls

The last few weeks God’s been impressing upon my heart that it’s time to tear down the walls.

We all have them. Walls we’ve built. Some are taller and deeper than others. But if we were honest we’d all confess to at least a few extra bricks surrounding our hearts.

We build our walls with good intentions. We desire protection, safety, security. None of these desires are wrong. It’s the bricks we use that are the problem.

Brick after brick of fear… isolation… anger… hurt…

One by one they are pieced together until the world is shut out.

Pastors, counselors, and good friends will tell you walls are bad. But I think… maybe… that I disagree. Allow me to explain.

I was listening to a CD recently when a line from one of the songs jumped out at me:

Your walls are Salvation, Your gates are praise.

I googled it… It’s actually scripture. The words are found in Isaiah 60:18.

My walls are fear.

My gates are isolation.

God’s walls are salvation.

His gates are praise.

In ancient times city walls were immensely important. They protected the city. Provided safety and security to all who dwelt there. The gates were guarded and no one was allowed to enter the city walls without permission.

Imagine your heart as a city. In it dwells your emotions, your desires, your dreams. Imagine giving that “city” to God. Imagine Him building a wall of protection around that “city”. I imagine He would take great care in constructing that wall. Using bricks of love, peace, joy. Carefully fastening gates. Patiently building a watchtower. Then upon the completion of that wall He would take His place in the watchtower, guarding the gates to the city. All who entered must pass through his critical gaze. All who come in must first gain His permission.

What if we didn’t have to spend our days watching and guarding. What if we didn’t have to spend sleepless nights restacking bricks. What if we could simply rest, laugh, and love trusting that whatever enters has first passed through gates of praise.

A few verses earlier in Isaiah it says “your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut day or night”. How can we accomplish that? How can we live with an always open heart?

We doing it by tearing down the walls built by our own hands and hiding our hearts behind walls of salvation. We do it by walking away from our post as the guardian of our hearts and allowing Him who never sleeps nor slumbers to take watch. We do it by trusting that whatever He allows to enter through the gates of praise, though it may be painful, will ultimately bring glory.

It’s not the wall that’s the problem. It’s the builder.

Who’s building your wall?