1987 was also a time of significant events in my life; there were these historic words; the Challenger disaster; graduating high school and beginning college; the Lockerby bombing, my own consciousness of the AIDS epidemic; the waning hay day of the Evangelical movement, the year I lost my paternal grandfather and his mother-- the spiritual matriarch of our family whose faith blessed, and continues to bless her children, children's children (Prov 13:22).
It was also the year I began dating my future wife and he period of time which I spent my first globe trekking adventure into New Zealand and Australia.
In 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down, I was breaking free from the walls of my parents covering and establishing my own life. I had also began the process of allowing God to tear down the false walls my time at Crestview (Acts 23:3) had built. Reexamining my entire relationship with the Holy Spirit and finding my authentic Jesus on His terms and not the way that He was presented to my while growing up inside the walls of a Laodicean Church (Rev 3:14-22).
Twenty-five years later I never would have imagined myself an unjustly convicted innocent person living on the mission field behind the fenced walls of incarceration (Acts 16:16-40).
At times I have felt like David, writing in Psalms 62, "that I am a saggy wall (v3)", wondering how much longer my son, like David's own prodigal Absalom, will tell his lies (v4; 2Sam 15). Thankfully, my God has given me inward peace, a joy without a roof (Ps 63), keeping me safe and secure; He saves and honors me (Ps 62:5-7).
Like David, and the Prodigal Father, I find myself waiting beside my walls, anticipating news of my son's return sanity and attempt to reconcile (2 Sam 18:24; Luke 15:20).
Walls have played important roles in world history. Early biblical walls were built to protect a select population, to keep out enemies, unwanted peoples, and animals. Walls were built to corral sheep, allowing the shepherd to rest and keep watch at night (John 10:7). Walls were built to protect gardens and vineyards (Num 22). Walls were erected to segregate the ill from the healthy; the poor from the elite; in Berlin the East from the West; in China, the kingdom from the Huns and the Mongols; in Korea, the North from the South; in Jerusalem, God's elect from the Palestinians; and even in our own homeland the unwanted immigrant from the promises of the Land of Opportunity.
Punishment has been doled out for moving wall markers (Prov 22:28; Duet 13:14). Wars have been fought over walls. Jealousy, lies, perjury, and covetousness have led to murder over walls (1 Kings 21). Walls have fallen and been rebuilt over and over and over again.
One of my most favorite family memories is walking atop the Great Wall of China at the Jung yean Pass north of Beijing. I recall with great fondness racing my children from tower to tower, to the 7th tower, to see whom could go along the farthest of all. It was a realization of one of my bucket list items 30 years before I thought I could make it happen on my own. It was a blessing and ordination of God's grace upon us.
Today, on the eve of my pending divorce, I was have to be mindful not to build up walls where they should not belong. Taking my cue from the falsely accused, convicted, and imprisoned Joseph, I need to make purposeful quality decisions (Prov 16:33, Gen 45:7) to not erect any walls between my wife and me as she subcomes to her depression, rejection, and abandonment issues and breaks our wedding vows because our "for better and for richer" times have taken on the appearance of being "for worse and for poorer".
I have to remember that God can use all circumstances to bring good from every evil inspiration and deed (Gen 50:20, Rom 8:29) and not setup walls that deflect any potential restoration of my family. Like Esau, I need to ensure no walls are constructed that keeps a wayward brother, son, or wife from reuniting and making reconciliation with their family (Gen 33:4). Where Nehemiah was a wall builder, I need to follow the example of Christ by being a wall breecher (Eph 2:14).
I am thankful for this Crabtree Wilderness and mission field, and the safety I find within its walls of icy tinted razor wire. Like Rahab, as long as I stay the course and keep myself confined within the section of wall God has placed me, when He decided to move and breakthrough I will remain safe (Josh 2:15).
Twenty-five years after the beginning cracks and chips of societies most significant barrier began to show the world that walls are more destructive in nature than healing, I remain ready for a breakthrough to appear and my wall to give way to truth and freedom, knowing hat "the Lord has promised to be a protective wall of fire" (Zech 2:5). I proclaim the promise of David that "when I was walled in, you freed me and proclaimed that I was innocent" (Ps 18:19-20).
