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Topic: Key (02/14/13)
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TITLE: "Breaking Down Walls that Bind Us" | Previous Challenge Entry
By Loni Bowden-Horn
02/17/13 -
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I often felt the key to protecting my heart was to close it off from others both on the inside and outside. I did not build lasting relationships so my life languished. I often built these walls in order to keep people at a distance—as a way of defense or security. It may be because I didn’t like to deal with the hurt, betrayal, and loss in my life. I tended to steer away from confrontation like a rudder on a ship.
The Lord said to Joshua that he would hand over the entire city of Jericho to him. This included the king and his fighting men. By faith, they were to march around the city for six days. The men were to stand before the Ark of the Covenant blowing on trumpets made out of ram’s horns. On the seventh day the Lord said to march around the city seven times with the priests blowing the trumpets. When the men heard a long blast, they were to shout and the walls of Jericho would begin tumbling down. (Based on Joshua 6:6-15)
One key to tearing down walls is repentance and obedience in God.
In Hebrew, the ram’s horns or Shofar was sounded as a call to repentance. I cried out to God for forgiveness for the past wrongs in my life. I had allowed my self-doubt and reservations to interfere with using my gifts to serve God; I had always felt I had nothing of value to offer. I was obsessed with pleasing others instead of God. I had to face the fact that striving for perfection through the lens of man’s eyes was meaningless; instead true perfection was fulfilled through Christ. I needed to obey God no matter what the cost and leave the results of what was to take place in his hands.
Another key to tearing down walls is faith in God.
God’s people had faith, and when they had walked around the city of Jericho for seven days, its walls fell down. Hebrews 11:30
By faith, I needed to trust God to come through whatever seemingly impossible situation I faced. I had to dismantle the walls by being venerable enough to share my true self, certain elements that I had kept hidden from others. I had to have faith in God to fill the void in my life by tearing down the barriers that separated me from the Father using the power of the Holy Spirit.
Another key to tearing down walls is accepting God’s love.
When I left my feelings and emotions all walled up, I left my inner being walled in with isolation and loneliness. In order to begin penetrating these thick walls surrounding my heart and soul, I needed to reach out to other people with the love of God.
“We love because he first loved us.” I John 4:19
As the walls began to slowly crumble, I had the capability to choose new directions or pathways in my life. It took time to map out a new course and there was bumps along the way.
Eventually, I will regain the freedoms that once held me captive and love will bridge the gap.
Tearing down our walls is one of the key elements to an intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior by unlocking our hearts.
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The only critique I might offer would be to work more on your transitions to make them a tad bit smoother. An example would be something like this: Like the citizens of Jericho, I often feel walled in.
I think you did a nice job of covering the topic while still delivering a powerful message. This type of devotion is one that makes the reader stop and exam in her life, and that is always a good thing.