A Cracked Wall
I've heard a picture of the Body of Christ a few times and it hit my heart in a new way this week. Today as I sit and process it with the Lord I think there is more for me (and us) in this picture. This picture is of a cracked wall. We as the family and the Body of Christ are in a battle against the Enemy of our souls. The cracked wall in this picture is the defensive/offensive line that protects us against him and as we stand together there ain't no force of Hell that can get through...it's a beautiful picture. Then come in the cracks...what are they, why are they crumbling? These cracks are the weak places, the vulnerable places, the struggling places that are places where the Enemy can come in...and he does and will if we allow him and fear him.
What is our response as a living Body, a Family, a Force of Soldiers? Do we suit up, pray up and hound heaven for the cracks to be filled, healed, redeemed, restored and for the darkness and demons to flee?! Yes! Prayer is a powerful weapon and helps us stand and helps others to stand firm against the Enemy! (See Eph. 6:10-18)
And...
The Family, the Body of Christ also needs to know and be aware of partnering with the heart of God to know about the crack...the vulnerable place. Is it there because of a direct attack of the Enemy? Is it a place where the Spirit of God can move the Body to be the Body and step in and pray, care and learn how to love wholly and purely? YES...and YES! It is a both/and thing. This is why we need to be so connected to the heart of God so we know what He's up to. The weak, vulnerable place must be handled with care and gentleness...it is a place of weakness where we can learn our dependency on the ONE who is the real Victor in this whole story.
By many people's view I am a "crack in the wall" (we all are at different seasons) and I do not argue with that. Disability, my introvert personality, sin, emotional hurts, singleness, even being a woman can all carry things that point to my "crumbly place" when I walk into a sanctuary on a Sunday. The truth is that for a lot of years I believed that I was the problem because of these things. I was the cursed place where the Enemy got in. I was the one who needed fixing and until I was healed, fixed and whole I had no value to the wall...I had no place at the table with the Family!
But He invited me to see...
how He delights in me when I give Him those cracked places...and He has whispered Truth over and is transforming that place in me today. You see, this weakness--this cracked place can also be used to take the Body...the Family into deeper prayer, deeper care, deeper compassion, deeper understanding of His heart. A place where we know we are vulnerable to attack and need each others strength in prayer. We need to be willing to suit up with each other, learn from each other and let the Lord use us in each other's healing, redemptive process.
Dear Sibling/Fellow Soldier,
Pray for the cracked places...the broken places. Pray for the broken marriages, the hurt and bitterness and frustrations to be dealt with. Pray for the lies to be uncovered and the Truth to be let in. Pray for sexual wholeness, healing for pain, sickness, disability and depression. We are blood-bought children of God who can stand in His Authority and cry for mercy! Remember too, that the weak places, the cracked places are also valuable places where the light of God's glory can shine through and be seen. Our King, our Head, our Daddy doesn't panic over darkness...He overcomes it...and brings light. On days when your cracked place feels heavy...lean on another trusted soldier to help you stand. Read Scripture, understand your feelings and emotions, cry out to Jesus, listen to the Spirit's voice on what is attack and what is a place where the Lord is refining you. YOU ARE LOVED & NOT ALONE!
We are weak, sinful, vulnerable humans who STILL have a unique purpose in the Kingdom of God even on days when our cracks feel so real. We have a place at the table and a position to take in battle NOW not when we become better or whole. Our sins, struggles and situations should be the things that draw us to our family for support and strength not make us feel isolated so much that the Devil wins and Love doesn't!
And the cracked wall...
will be a beautiful trophy of God's beauty and no force of Hell can stop us when we do stand together against the Enemy and live in a deep compassion for each other!
What is our response as a living Body, a Family, a Force of Soldiers? Do we suit up, pray up and hound heaven for the cracks to be filled, healed, redeemed, restored and for the darkness and demons to flee?! Yes! Prayer is a powerful weapon and helps us stand and helps others to stand firm against the Enemy! (See Eph. 6:10-18)
And...
By many people's view I am a "crack in the wall" (we all are at different seasons) and I do not argue with that. Disability, my introvert personality, sin, emotional hurts, singleness, even being a woman can all carry things that point to my "crumbly place" when I walk into a sanctuary on a Sunday. The truth is that for a lot of years I believed that I was the problem because of these things. I was the cursed place where the Enemy got in. I was the one who needed fixing and until I was healed, fixed and whole I had no value to the wall...I had no place at the table with the Family!
But He invited me to see...
how He delights in me when I give Him those cracked places...and He has whispered Truth over and is transforming that place in me today. You see, this weakness--this cracked place can also be used to take the Body...the Family into deeper prayer, deeper care, deeper compassion, deeper understanding of His heart. A place where we know we are vulnerable to attack and need each others strength in prayer. We need to be willing to suit up with each other, learn from each other and let the Lord use us in each other's healing, redemptive process.
Dear Sibling/Fellow Soldier,
Pray for the cracked places...the broken places. Pray for the broken marriages, the hurt and bitterness and frustrations to be dealt with. Pray for the lies to be uncovered and the Truth to be let in. Pray for sexual wholeness, healing for pain, sickness, disability and depression. We are blood-bought children of God who can stand in His Authority and cry for mercy! Remember too, that the weak places, the cracked places are also valuable places where the light of God's glory can shine through and be seen. Our King, our Head, our Daddy doesn't panic over darkness...He overcomes it...and brings light. On days when your cracked place feels heavy...lean on another trusted soldier to help you stand. Read Scripture, understand your feelings and emotions, cry out to Jesus, listen to the Spirit's voice on what is attack and what is a place where the Lord is refining you. YOU ARE LOVED & NOT ALONE!
We are weak, sinful, vulnerable humans who STILL have a unique purpose in the Kingdom of God even on days when our cracks feel so real. We have a place at the table and a position to take in battle NOW not when we become better or whole. Our sins, struggles and situations should be the things that draw us to our family for support and strength not make us feel isolated so much that the Devil wins and Love doesn't!
And the cracked wall...
will be a beautiful trophy of God's beauty and no force of Hell can stop us when we do stand together against the Enemy and live in a deep compassion for each other!
Comments
Post a Comment