Watch of The Wall

Wednesday, ‎August ‎31, ‎2022

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Luke 13:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

Memory verse: Romans 12:1: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Today's reading: PSALM 132-134 1 CORINTHIANS 11:17-34

Watchman On The Wall

Psalm 130:1 Lord, I am in great trouble.

So I call out to you for help.

2 Lord, hear my voice.

Listen to my prayer for help.

3 Lord, if you punished people for all their sins,

no one would be left.

4 But you forgive us.

So you are respected.

Do we respect God because He forgives us-because he can forgive us?

Do we feel equally relieved in what we consider 'big' and 'small' sins?

Do we cry out to God only when we are in trouble?

Do we plead for God to hear our prayer when we are not in trouble?

Do we only feel the urgent need for God when we have urgent needs?

It was a full moon as the night watchman walked the top of the city wall 2500 years ago. His silhouette was clear when out of the dark an arrow ended his short life. The enemies of the city were terrorizing from the dark below outiside the walls. It worked. The surviving watchman walked the walls in mortal fear praying for the morning to break.

Psalm 130, verse 6, says:

6 I wait for the Lord to help me

more than night watchmen wait for the dawn,

more than night watchmen wait for the dawn.

More...more than the watchman? Can we even imagine the real fear of dying in the dark by an enemy's arrow? Some of you have been to war or know someone who has and they know what being an open target can mean...

The question is, "Do we feel this urgency when talking to God-as if our very life depends on Him?" Do we listen when Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God in Ephesians 6?

A lot of questions, right? Here's one more: Do you even conceive a reason for this kind of urgency? This is one of our greatest problems.

We feel urgency when disaster strikes and 'then' we cry out. Do we engage the enemy enough to feel like a 'watchman on the wall'? Most do not. Most become anesthetized by the sin around them and don't want to 'get involved'.

What is my point? Our entire existence depends on the grace of God. Our daily walk is war-every waking minute is a war for our spiritual faithfulness. If the enemy can get us out in the open in the light of the world's darkness, we are an unprotected target.

Walking in faith means we are protected by our Lord's strength and grace.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

We are protected by the peace of God-in a full blown spiritual war. How blessed are we? How fortunate that God is our fortune and not the fruit of the world?

Staying protected by God means that we can walk the wall in the dark-free from sin-able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy in the shield of faith.(Ephesians 6:16) Walking the wall, watching over the weaker, always ready to give reason for the hope that is within us(1 PETER 3:15), this is our work as the Master's warriors.

He leads me beside still waters and in green pastures and restores my soul and says:

"For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."

Isaiah 41:13

...because He loves us..

Father in Heaven,

Forgive me for not even being close to being serious about my faith. Build a fire in me, oh God.

Great leader and empowering protector,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen