- Joined
- Oct 26, 2007
- Messages
- 12,212
The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9
On this day in 1961, East German soldiers laid down the first barbed wire and bricks that would become the Berlin Wall, dividing the city and providing a global symbol for the Cold War conflict. Would-be defectors were often shot as they attempted to escape, ratcheting up tensions between the forces of freedom and tyranny.
The Wall is a perfect microcosm of the barriers created by sin. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, their sin made them guilty and ashamed, and people have been building walls to defend themselves from sin’s consequences ever since.
It’s human nature not to show all your cards; it’s hard to trust someone when you don’t know their motives or agenda. Fear of the unknown drives behavior, and only perfect love can cast it out (1 John 4:18-19). God’s love in Christ did just that. God reaches through your defenses, offering peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
That requires transparency on your part: you must be honest about your sin to come to Jesus—on both a general and daily basis. Being known for who you really are and still loved by the only One who has the right to condemn you breaks down fear’s walls. Once there’s no wall between you and God, it becomes easier to open up to others, and for them to be open with you.
On this day in 1961, East German soldiers laid down the first barbed wire and bricks that would become the Berlin Wall, dividing the city and providing a global symbol for the Cold War conflict. Would-be defectors were often shot as they attempted to escape, ratcheting up tensions between the forces of freedom and tyranny.
The Wall is a perfect microcosm of the barriers created by sin. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, their sin made them guilty and ashamed, and people have been building walls to defend themselves from sin’s consequences ever since.
It’s human nature not to show all your cards; it’s hard to trust someone when you don’t know their motives or agenda. Fear of the unknown drives behavior, and only perfect love can cast it out (1 John 4:18-19). God’s love in Christ did just that. God reaches through your defenses, offering peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
That requires transparency on your part: you must be honest about your sin to come to Jesus—on both a general and daily basis. Being known for who you really are and still loved by the only One who has the right to condemn you breaks down fear’s walls. Once there’s no wall between you and God, it becomes easier to open up to others, and for them to be open with you.
