Gaps in our wall

"You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the LORD" (Ezekiel 13:5).

When the prophet spoke these words centuries ago, workmen were busy repairing the stone fortifications around Jerusalem, but Ezekiel was talking about the religious leaders. Gaps in a physical wall will render the edifice compromised on the day of battle. So will gaps in the spiritual defenses render our souls defenseless in the unusual sufferings ahead of us?

Are there unusual sufferings ahead of us? Paul wrote in his day: "The Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me" (Acts 20:23). Do not our nation's cities cry out the same to us today?

God inveighed against those who "have misled my people, saying 'Peace,' when there is no peace . . . because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash" (Ezekiel 13:10).

A whitewashed wall works fine until a battering ram is applied. So will our lives if we have only the appearance of standing strong but no real stamina. Symptoms of decay may include listless church services, rampant divorce, greater attendance at bingo than prayer meeting, and difficulty in distinguishing between Christians and non-Christians in the marketplace. This calls for preaching such as the Apostle Paul's: "I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ" (Romans 15:29). Just think about what "the fullness of the blessing of Christ" is, and see if our churches match that description.

I read in a local newspaper about a book titled 10 Things Your Minister Wants to Tell You (But Can't Because He Needs the Job). What would be even worse than that state of affairs, of course, is if the pastor himself didn't see the sword coming or didn't see the moribund condition of the flock---if he though that the status quo is just about right.

I was heartened to come across the website of a church in Indiana that is gearing up for heated spiritual warfare, with vigils of prayer and fasting for the 40 days leading up to September 11. They write:

"For decades the American Church has been asleep. We have turned our heads the other way as prayer was kicked out of our children's schools. We rolled over and pulled the covers over our heads as laws were set in place allowing the murder of millions of innocent children. We pushed the snooze button when the call came out to help defend the freedom of speech and religion as they passed Hate Crimes. We grew irritated with those trying to wake us up as our government spent us into oblivion. We have told our shepherds, 'Don't bother us with things we don't want to hear . . . tell us nice stories.' We have grown passive and silent. Now we will pay the price for this silence."

To learn more about this church's wall restoration project, check out the website. Some preacher there must be patching the gaps with more than whitewash.

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