Monday, October 27, 2008

Journey of Prayer: Wall

While I was at The Glen, I stumbled across something they've added to the grounds. It is a journey of prayer around the property. I didn't have time to sit and read each page and really spend the time I needed on each one while I was there, so I brought them home. I did take the time to run around and grab each sheet and snap a picture at each spot so I could experience the journey at home. It does help that I have experienced the grounds first hand - but I hope that you will enjoy this as well.

After I've shared the journey - I would love it if we would each do a journey of prayer around our lives and post them to share. This will be an opportunity to notice the spiritual meaning of things around us and share it with others!

The first stop is a bench positioned on the other side of the doorway shown above. This wall runs nearly all the way around the Carriage House and is really a beautiful sight. Here is some of what was shared on the printout at this spot:

"'And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the Lord, 'and I will be its glory within.'"
~ Zechariah 2:5 ~

"The Wall ...

Look at the wall in front of you. Notice it's color, expanse an strength. Our culture often talks about 'breaking down walls' between races, between sexes, and so on. Certainly those barriers need to be addressed and healed. But the building of walls is important as well - walls to protect our sisters and brothers, and to redemptively keep out certain aspects of the world. There is safety within walls. Consider the story of Nehemiah, and the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem:

'They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven ...
Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace."'

What are some things God has protected you from in your life? consider them as you think about your past and present, and thank God for His wall of protection.

Nehemiah grieved for the people who had no walls to protect them. He cried out to God on their behalf, and God raised him up to over-see the rebuilding of the wall. Who do you know whose walls have been broken - who are vulnerable because of bad choices made, or things done to them, or just the brokenness of life? Cry out to God for them...that He would draw them into His shelter, and build walls of protection around them...that they would come to Him as their refuge and strong shelter."

Here is a print we have hanging in our living room - I have always loved it and thought that it looked like such a peaceful place - there is much symbolism to be seen in this painting. And, I love that it is inside a wall, protected.

What does the idea of a "wall" mean in your life? Enjoy your time with Him in prayer about this.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Monica, the most obvious thing I can think of that God protected me from is the spread of the colon cancer. By the time I had the symptoms, the 7cm. tumor had perforated the colon wall, according to the surgeon. That was the source of the extreme pain. In the natural world, one would expect that the cancer would have probably spread by then; yet, when he did my surgery, he biopsied 29 surrounding lymph nodes and they were all clear.

asnipofgoodness said...

Lots to think on Monica, thank you for your challenge. I will think about walls today, and how God has protected myself and my family.

Anonymous said...

What a gentle place to land tonight, so beautifully thought out and written; thank you Monica. As surely as I sit here writing this, I KNOW that The Father "walls" me in His protective care each and every day. My greatest learning tool of this absolute comforting truth was in the midst of a lengthy "storm". I've been left with the conviction that God surrounds me with a protection that hedges me in--walls me in no matter the situation and the outcome Monica.......

I so appreciate this Godly haven Monica---you are serving many a heart with your uplifting, sharing topics. God Bless -- Barbra

Sarah @ Fiddledeedee said...

Monica,
Hey! The Muir Glen tomatoes at Publix are an unadvertised deal, so I am not really sure when it ends. However, the small cans of tomato paste are regularly priced at $.85/each (at my store), so even if the sale ends before you can get to the store, they would be free. It's worth a try!

Hope you can pick some up soon. I am thrilled to have organic canned tomatoes on hand for chili and soups now that the weather's cool!

Linda said...

I would think of the verse in Proverbs, which (obviously freely translated, as I don't own an english bible) goes something like:

We have a sister, who doesn't yet have breasts. If she's like a door, we'll close her up and if she's like a tower, we'll build a wall around her.

It's sad that little girls nowadays have no 'walls' to protect them anymore.. not of their family and not of their own. I see kids in the streets here, who are no older than 11 or 12, and behaving like adults.. and not in the good sense of the word....

So in that sense.. I love me a good wall ;)

Only one thing that I didn't understand in the first part of your post, where you speak of walls between genders and races broken down, which should be restored. I understand the sexes thing, but why between races?

greetings from the netherlands!

Monica Wilkinson said...

Linda,

What I shared was not MY words - it was a quotation from the prayer guide I picked up. So, I cannot fully describe what the writer had in mind when he said breaking down walls in races.

What it means to me is living as if there are no harmful walls between races. Accepting others the same regardless of their race. I know there can be helpful walls - but in this case, I think they are referring to harmful ones.

Monica

Anonymous said...

Monica, First of all I just want to tell you how much I love your blog. It is truly inspiritaionl. I love My Lord with all that is within me, and I long to become exactly who he wants me to be, as a wife, mother, daughter, and most importantly his daughter. I think the biggest thing that stands out to me about what God has protected me from, would have to be a life of abuse from a man who I thought at one point was the love of my life. Little did I know that I did not really know what true love was until I met my husband. My ex. Was very emotionally abusive to me, from the way I wore my hair to the way I would say things, all had to be approved by him. He never did hit me, but he would come very close sometimes. He married a good friend of mine, who I tried to warn to stay away from him, but she would not listen. They married and he abused her emotionally and physically. He did horrible things to her, and I am so grateful that I did not stay with that man, or I would have endured the same things. Everytime he would try to hit me he would just shake as his fist was just inches away from my face. I honestly believe to this day that I had an angel keeping that man's fist from my face. I am so grateful for the husband I have today. He is such a wonderful provider and Daddy to our girls. My friend is divorced from this man today, and has a much better life. I see him from time to time. It would be very easy to avoid him, but I feel that is not the Godly thing to do. So I will say hi, and never forget to mention God to him. He has a life of alcholism and I do pray he will put his life in God's hands. I love the Lord so very much. I am so thankful for his grace, love, and protection in my life.

Anonymous said...

Monica, You have really touched my heart. I am really going to do some pondering about this. I have alway's heard about the walls that need to be torn down. Not to ones that need building.

Jenny said...

Been thinking about this one; now I'm back to comment...

God has been very gracious to place His wall of protection around my dear husband who was in a tragic accident over 2 years ago. He's a firefighter and he was struck head-on by another driver on the highway while driving an ambulance. The other man was killed instantly--all vehicles were totaled. At the time, my boys were ages 3 and 1, and my twin daughters were only 3 months old. I'm so thankful that the Lord spared his life! He sustained many injuries, had a few surgeries and was not able to return to work as a firefighter--he's in medical school right now studying to become a Physician Assistant, instead.

One passage of Scripture I speak of often with my boys is Proverbs 25:28--

"Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control."

I think this passage paints an AMAZING picture for little minds!

Monica said...

We have been working through the book of Exodus on Sunday mornings and after reading your post I could not get the picture of the Red Sea out of my mind. I was trying to imagine myself with my family and all our worldly processions being surround by a wall of water. I'm sure we would be able to see all of the sea life and feel the midst of the water as God held it back. Behind us would be the enemy in hot pursuit of our lives.

Walls remind me that God is Mighty in saving His people. A wall is not an inanimate object in His hand, but rather proof of His Sovereign means to Love and guide His own.

Ex. 15:8 By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up.
The surging waters stood firm like a wall;
the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.

I'm also reminded of a great book, "The Hedge of Thorns" which speaks to this very thing. We've read it to our children a few times and it's been impacting.