NO BREACHED WALLS. By Pastor Fernando.

Scripture:
...May there be no breached walls, no forced exile, no cries of distress in our squares...
Psalm 144:14

Observation:
The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina over the city of New Orleans in 2005 has become one of the saddest stories of natural disaster in American history, especially because it could have been prevented. The enormous water pressure breached some sections of the levees of the city. The consequent flood took many lives, left thousands of people without homes, forced an exile to neighboring cities, and spawned a multi-state wide crisis. Before this tragedy happened, engineers and experts warned about the critical condition of the levees. Unfortunately, officials responsible for their maintenance did not wanted to pay the price of the repairs. Nobody paid serious attention to the cracks on the wall, and when the catastrophe occurred, the price to pay was exponentially higher than the repairs.

In ancient times, city walls were the last line of protection against enemies and invaders. A breached wall was a sign of vulnerability and an invitation for the enemy to come to teal, kill and destroy. Rulers and citizens paid close attention to the condition of the walls. It was a priority for their lives.

Application:
In our own lives we have a real enemy that wants to bring disaster and chaos. We live in a world that constantly puts huge amount of pressure against our hearts. The wear and tear of this battle will eventually cause some damage, small cracks, that need to be repaired immediately. There is a window of opportunity to fix these cracks. And if we procrastinate in the repairs, our lives will become easy targets for the enemy and vulnerable to the constant pressures of this world. The consequences of neglected cracks will be devastating. Disaster will come unannounced. The cost of a repaired crack will always be small compared to the cost of a breached wall.

We need to pay attention to the kind voice of the Holy Spirit who will reveal and make us aware of certain cracks in the walls of our hearts: unforgiveness, unresolved sin, stubbornness, pride, etc. These cracks will not repair by themselves. We need to patch them up and reinforce the walls with sincere repentance and with the powerful blood of Jesus. We can avoid future pain and unnecessary devastating consequences by the diligent measures we take today.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, let’s have an inspection together to the levees in my heart. Show me the cracks that could become an open invitation for the enemy to come to steal, kill, and destroy. Let me put my trust in the power of your blood to make my life safe from the pressures of this world and the attacks of the enemy. I need you Lord to stay sharp and to maintain solid foundations and strong walls in my life. Let me forgive those who constantly offend me and forgive me for the many trespasses that weaken my walls. May there no breached walls in my life, in our home, and in our church. Amen!