AUGUST 13, 2012
Tear
Down That Wall!
Read: Ephesians 2:14-18
Having
been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ,
through whom also we have access by faith. —Romans
5:1-2
The Wall. For people
living in East Germany over 50 years ago, those
two words were the only ones
necessary to describe the barrier erected
on August 13, 1961. That date marked
the beginning of the construction
of a concrete barrier that separated East and
West Germany. Eventually,
the wall became nearly impenetrable—secured with
barbed wire and
armed men. But in 1989 the wall was torn down, removing the
barrier
between the countries.
Another wall needs to
be removed as well—the wall between humanity
and God. That barrier was built in
the Garden of Eden when a man and
a woman committed the first act of rebellion
against God (Gen. 3). And
we all have continued that rebellion ever since! Can
you visualize that
impenetrable wall? Isaiah 59:2 says: “Your sins . . . have
cut you off
from God” (nlt).
Jesus’ death and
resurrection, however, has made reconciliation with
God possible (2 Cor.
5:17-21). All those who accept Christ’s sacrifice
for sin will have the barrier
of sin torn down and be reconciled to God.
Christ’s death has also demolished
other restrictive walls—between
the Jews and Gentiles, slave and free, male and
female (Gal. 3:28).
Don’t let your own
“wall” of indecision prevent you from accepting
God’s gift of salvation.
The veil is rent; in Him alone
The living way to heaven is seen;
The middle wall is broken down
And all mankind may enter in. —Wesley
The Bible is a record of man’s complete ruin
in sin and
God’s complete remedy in Christ. —Barnhouse
Source: Our Daily Bread 2012
