Tear Down Those Walls!!!

Guiding Prayer For Our Season of Fasting: 

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom,the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Myself in Truth

Jesus Christ, may the words that I speak today be words of healing and unity, not words of pain and division.

Nurtured and Nurturing 

Holy Spirit, may our homes be living, breathing witnesses to the power of your Gospel.  May they be places that tear down the walls that divide, bringing peace into your world.  

The Gathered

Lord, make us an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let us sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is error, the truth;

Where there is doubt, the faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

Amen.

-A Prayer of St. Francis

At the conclusion of World War II, the conquering Allied armies decided the best way to make sure Germany was not able to regain it's previous strength and unity so as to wage war again was to 

divide the country into sections, each controlled by a different allied nation.  At the center of this divide stood Berlin.

Within the German capital it was decided each army would also have it's own occupation zone.  To mark the divide between the western and easter zones, a giant wall was built.  This wall was known as the Berlin wall and in time would come to stand for the divide between the capitalist western world and the communist eastern world.

This wall stood for over 40 years.  It did it's job.  It kept the German people divided and did it's best to keep anything of importance from passing from one side to the other.  This is what walls do.  They keep others out you don't want on your side.

As much as this wall was built to keep things, people, or ideas out, it also made sure nothing could pass over either.

This is the issue with walls.  They keep out what you want out but they also do not allow for you to share what you have to share.  

You have been challenged this week to fast from gossip.  We often don't think twice about the way we talk about people.  We enjoy sharing stories and don't think much about the way we share stories impacting the way others might think about those of whom we speak.  We stand on our side of the wall, keeping others that we don't agree with, don't associate with, or don't care that much about at bay.

But that's the issue at the heart of our gossip.  Not only do we keep those people out of our lives and at a distance, we keep the Gospel in our lives, placing barriers in between us and the very people in need of the Gospel.  We may think our words are harmless, but we never know who might be listening and may now no longer feel the need to act as Christ to those in need.  

Our words have great power.  They have the power to heal and unite.  But they also have the power to build walls which keep people out and the Gospel in.

So how about it church?  What do you say?  

Church family...tear down those walls!!!