Walls

Cinderella was my favorite fairy tale growing up. Loved it. Loved the story, loved the dress, the mice, the handsome prince. Most of all I loved the ending. They lived happily ever after. It always brought a deep sigh and a peaceful, wistful smile to my face.

I’m a half full person…never half empty. Suffice it to say, I’m always shocked or at least taken aback when things don’t go well. And I think as a rule, most Christians are just amazed when they, we, pray and things don’t turn out well.

Judah had some horrible kings who worshiped idols, led the people to worship idols and engage in all kinds of perverted practices including giving their children as burnt offerings to their gods. But every once in awhile a good guy showed up who didn’t follow his father’s example. Hezekiah was one of them. In 2 Chronicles 29, Hezekiah assumes the throne at age 25. From the start he knew that the reason God’s anger had fallen on Judah was because Judah had abandoned God so he aimed to make it right. He did. Cleaned up the temple, reinstituted the sacrifices, burned all the idols, instructed the people in God’s ways and as a result, all of Judah turned back to the Lord.

Glory! He lives to a ripe old age, having 10 healthy children who successfully attended college, graduating with a professional degrees, married well, had beautiful grandchildren and all surrounded him as he died a peaceful death in his sleep.

Not exactly.

The author spends two entire chapters recording all the great things Hezekiah did to restore Judah to the center of God’s will. Hezekiah I’m sure earned a great “atta boy” for everything he accomplished. And then we come to chapter 32.

“After Hezekiah had faithfully carried out this work, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, giving orders to break through their walls.”

Hezekiah consulted with his officials and military advisers and developed a plan. He strengthened his defenses by repairing the wall, adding to the fortifications, constructing another wall, manufacturing large numbers of weapons and shields. He did not stand by wringing his hands.

He then assembled all the people and said, “Don’t be afraid of the king of Assyria or his mighty army for there is a power far greater on our side! He may have a great army, but they are just men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!”

Hallelujah!

Ah but not to be outdone, the great King Sennacherib (can you imagine naming your baby Sennacherib?) answers loudly enough so all the people can hear….”Surely you realize what we’ve done to all the other nations. Were any of their gods able to rescue them from my hands? Name one time! How much less will your God rescue you from my power!” “ Then he and his officials further mocked the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah, heaping insult upon insult.”

Hezekiah had done his homework. He had fortified the walls, armed the people. But he knew that they were outmanned and outgunned. He also knew his God. He was powerful, He was able.

He called Isaiah the prophet of God and they cried out in prayer to God. “And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib returned home in disgrace to his own land.”

It was a test…”to see what was really in his heart.” (vs31) Isn’t that what a test does? In Hezekiah’s case, it revealed that all this cleaning up and sacrificing was because of a repentant heart that trusted in and glorified God Most High.

He passed.

Paul is writing the Corinthians. He is pumped. Paul is always pumped. He never lost his excitement about the scope of what Christ had done for him and would do for anyone who placed their trust in Him. It was so worth it all both for this life and for the life to come. He was the consummate preacher yet in so many of the towns he visited, they hated him and hated the message. He would be beaten to a pulp, left to die and abandoned. First time and I’d be done. Not Paul. He was sold out. “God made us his captives and leads us…and wherever we go, he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume.” His vision was fixed on the heavenly and right on Jesus because he was just passing through. Earth was not the ultimate destination.

Then he says in 4:6-7, “For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness, has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. “

“But this precious treasure, this light and power than now shines within us…is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies so everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.”

Rapturous words about the power of God and the miracle of the light he’d received and that we can receive.

Then, the very next verse, the very next one….”We are pressed (afflicted) on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. Through suffering, these bodies of ours constantly share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. “

“Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus…”

I’ve run into a couple of walls lately, have you? In comparison to Paul's, in comparison to other people’s walls, mine are little bitty. Yours may be huge Jericho walls, not a little garden wall but a wall nonetheless. Perplexed is a wall, afflicted is a wall, being knocked down is a wall, suffering is a wall. A child who refuses to talk to you is a wall. An obnoxious neighbor is a wall. An illness is a wall. Lots of kinds of walls.

I’m walking along, trusting Jesus, singing to Jesus, happy following Jesus and then wham! Out of nowhere, walk right into a wall. Like what happened to Jesus?

He stepped to the side or made a hard right but still there, like with Hezekiah, like with Paul.

Know what I do? I’m incredulous that the wall is even there!

Paul was not, he expected the wall. Hezekiah didn't seem to miss a beat. He did all he knew to do and then pulled out a great big gun prayer warrior named Isaiah and went to God in prayer.

Not me. I call my mom. (Poor woman. When she dies, you’ll drive by the cemetery and I’ll be sitting out by her grave in my lawn chair, talking, arms waving like someone demented.) “Can you believe? I mean, if you were he, if you were her, would you have done that? Is this right?! I mean, I just can’t believe… yada, yada, yada.” Do you relate?

How long do we stand in front of the wall, totally outdone that it’s even there, much less that we, wonderful devoted followers of Jesus, are having to deal with ...this wall.

And Jesus stands there, at our arm saying, “Turn to Me. Trust Me. For your sake and a watching world, turn to Me, turn to Me. I have the solution."

Over and over in 2 Chronicles, Paul repeats….it’s not about you. It’s about Him. It’s given to you so that you can tell the world about Him. It’s never meant to stop with you…all of life is to be played out for the world to see how a God with whom you have a relationship, is able to meet every need of your life even if you are perplexed, hunted down, knocked down, suffering or in constant danger.

Even if your child is mute, your neighbor is obnoxious, your mammogram is not good and your daughter is getting married. In every case, you are not crushed or broken, you don’t give up and quit, you are never abandoned by God, you get up again and keep going.

So our first response to a wall is not be surprised it’s there. I’d love just one time to run into a wall and my first reaction be, “A wall.... a WALL!! Man, I’ve been wondering when you’d pop up!” And immediately turn and look at Jesus, confidently knowing He'll do a work...in me or the situation.

He has either filled me with His Spirit who gives me all I need for life and for godliness. Or He has not.

He has.

“The Lord is my Shepherd. I have all I need.”