Words & Walls

 

I'm not very good at speaking words.

I get this awkward knot in my throat and my hands become

clammy as I stumble over the words

that seem to spew out of my mouth before my mind processes them.

 

I do much better at writing words.

I suppose it has something to do with the fact that I can think

about what it is I'm trying to say and I'm able to re-read

what I have written. 

If it doesn't sound just right

I can

erase and re-write it, quite simple.

 

But once you speak something, there is no erasing.

It's out there, it's so final.

 

Our words have power!

 

In the book of proverbs it says that

"death and life are in the power of the tongue."

 

We can lift someone up or tear them down with our words!

 

Written words have power also.

 

As I was reading over some of the entries in my journal from the year 2012,

 I re-visited the good and the bad times

of last year. 

I smiled as I read the happy memories

and winced at some of the

not so happy ones.

 

I re-visited the joy that I felt during the good times.

I could almost hear the laughter as I read

about birthday parties,

picnics, playdates and trips.

 

I also remembered the hurt and disappointment

that I have felt over the course

of last year

as I read through

some of the not so happy memories.

 

Words can hurt.

 

As I went to the Lord in prayer,

I asked the Lord

to help me with my words,

help me not to discourage others

and forgive me for the times that I have.

My heart has been completely shattered by words

from ones that I love

and

unfortunately, I regret to say that my words

haven't always been kind or uplifting

either.

Help us God with our words! 

 

In my prayer time tonight, the Lord spoke

in a still, small voice

 

"you have built walls."

 

As I layed on my bed, I felt a tugging at my heart.

 

 The Lord reminded me

of the

Walls of Jericho.

 

I looked it up in reference and it says this...

 

A defensive wall of the city.

 

A Defensive Wall!

 

"Yes Lord, I have built walls!"

 

I suppose I felt that I had a right to be defensive, to build these walls,

to protect my self

from hurt feelings and disappointment.

 

Oh but be careful my friends,

the enemy can be sly and we can allow ourselves

to be bound

by defense and

become busy building walls

around ourselves.

 

So busy building walls that

we aren't operating outside our own walls any longer.

We may say a word to someone in passing

but no longer

going out of our way to

speak or get involved in anything.

 

We isolate ourselves because we want to stay

protected!

We don't want to be the least bit

vulnerable,

that way we don't get hurt any more.

 

I don't know about you

but I've been there, I'm there!

 

We can no longer operate in the liberty and peace of God

when we are so bound up

in the walls that we have built for our selves.

 

The walls can be depression.

The walls can be insecurity.

The walls can be oppression.

 

They can be anything that you struggle with.

 

Don't get me wrong, we all have struggles, we're all human

and we all have what I call

"down days"

but there is a big difference in a

"down day"

and building

defensive walls!

 

Tonight on my knee's during prayer time, I had to

make a choice.

 

Do I want to continue to reside in

the walls of my defense?

or

Will I

march like the children of Israel did around those Walls of Jericho?

Will I call out His name and cry aloud

with the voice of victory

and allow

the Lord to cause my walls

to crumble?

 

When the Walls of Jericho came crashing down,

the Israelites crossed over

and possessed the land

that the Lord

had promised them!

 

I want to cross over to the promised land

and be free once again!

 

I no longer want to be isolated and bound up.

 

Will you come with me?

 

I'm ready to march, are you?

 

Will you call out to Him and allow the Lord

to cause your walls to

crumble?

 

I can see the Land of Freedom, just over the wall I've built.

Can you see it?

 

 

 

C'mon, let's live in freedom, friends!