Thursday, April 4, 2013

The Great Wall

UV 714/10,000 The Great Wall “Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord” 2 Kings 20 v 12 Hezekiah, the king of Israel had become ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah had gone up to him and asked him to put his house in order as he was going to die. But, Hezekiah did not give up. In a combination of desperation and faith, he turned to the wall and prayed to the Lord, reminding Him of how he had walked faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and had done what was pleasing in God’s eyes. He also wept bitterly. The prophet Isaiah had not yet left the middle court when the Lord changed His mind and asked him to go tell Hezekiah that He had heard his prayers and seen his tears. He asked Isaiah to tell him that He had added fifteen years to his life. “ Turning our faces to the wall” means turning to the Lord in prayer and repentance, seeking His mercy and favour. Scripture says, “ Turn to me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you and glorify My Name.” The Jews to this day go to the last remaining wall of the temple in Jerusalem and mourning their loss, they pray. Hence, it is called the “Wailing Wall.” But, the Lord says, “ I am the wall to which you should turn- not to a physical wall. I am not a wailing wall of desperation but a Wall of hope and deliverance, a wall of support and strength.” He is indeed a wall of victory, power and joy. The Great Wall of China, one of the seven wonders of the world, is a symbol of fear since the Chinese emperors built it as a defence against the fierce marauding tribes of Mongolia. Today, the Lord says, “ Just recount seven wonders that I have done in your life, so far , of healing, of deliverance, of provision, of protection, of guidance, of promotion and of salvation. Stop wailing and complaining. Instead, rejoice in me that I have done all this and be strong.” Hezekiah reminded the Lord of the things he had done faithfully for the Lord. But, the Lord now reminds us of the seven wonders of our life. He alone is the Great Wall of our lives. When my father –in-law was terminally ill with cancer a few years ago, the word came to him, “ turn to the wall and pray.” He was asking for some time to set his house in order before he passed on. The Lord promised to give him that time and has fulfilled His promise and added four years so far to his life. The doctors had only given him a few months to live. Turning to the wall also means that when we are up against a huge problem that cannot be humanly resolved, we turn to the only One who is able to- the Lord Jesus. He is able to add that which we sorely lack to our lives. He is able to add years to our lives and life to our years. Prateep V Philip

1 comment:

  1. Praise the Lord Sir, I continue to be blessed by the Uni-Verse. May God use you mightily for Hus Kingdom. Col Rajeev. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
    So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,Psalm 63 : 1 - 5

    "Our God Shall Bless Us": Let the peoples praise you, O God;let all the peoples praise you! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him! Psalm 67 : 5 - 7
    Col. Rajeev Kumar

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