Tear Down the Walls

Walls. Can be a good thing and can be a bad thing. Ezekiel 40 through 43 cover extensively the measurements and description of the temple and the walls, and one thing struck me, the last verse of chapter 42. In King James, it says the walls were "to make a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place."

This is where walls are good. Sex outside of marriage is sin, no question about that. So, where do we draw the line to keep from crossing into sin? I know couples who made the commitment not to kiss until their wedding day. Is that for everyone? No. But they set the wall up. They said, if A is sex, I'm not going to straddle B, I'm going to sit at F! They said to keep from sin, I'm going to place many hurdles and obstacles between me and that sin. Not make out with our shirts off and feeling each other up. That's playing with fire.

Such a practice of these walls to keep us separated from the profane or the unholy is to keep us in line with God's will, so that He will be glorified. Amen. Let us practice this and remember it. Ezekiel here is describing the temple, and after Pentecost, we are the temple! So, walls in our lives need to be thick and sturdy. But when are they bad?

The NIV says "to separate the holy from the common."
The Message says, "The walls separate the holy from the ordinary."

This looks to me like the leaven of the Pharisees. To good to touch the regular, dirty, sinful common folk. This sounds like what Jesus worked and still works to destroy. This is why, Jesus, the holiest of all, fraternized with sinners, prostitutes, and tax collectors. This is why the moment he died on the cross, the curtain to the Holy of Holies was torn asunder. How do we live? Do we set up walls that keep us from practicing unholy things, or walls that keeps us from connecting with sinners themselves? To reach this world and make a difference, those walls must be torn down.

I'm reminded of this song we sing in church to inspire the passion of outreach:
"Tear down the walls, see the world, is there something we have missed. Look to the skies, hope arise, there is so much more than this. I don't need to see it to believe it. I can't shake this fire burning deep inside my heart. This life is Yours and hope is rising as Your glory fills our hearts. Let love tear down these walls that all creation would come back to You--it's all for You! Your name is glorious, glorious, your love is changing us, calling us, to worship in spirit and in truth. As all creation comes back to You. For all Your sons and daughters, who are walking in the darkness, You're calling us to lead them bak to You. We see Your Spirit rising, as the lost come out of hiding."

May God bless you, beloved of Christ, you tear down the walls that keep you from spreading love, joy, and the glad tidings of great joy, the good news of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Messiah.

For information about my Christmas novel about the original Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, a devout Christian who gave for the glory of God, visit www.nicholasthenovel.com
For more devotionals/sermonettes visit my blog at codywurban.wordpress.com

Created 8 months ago