Thought for the day – Friday 24th April 2020
Brought to us by Anna Howes
Reading – Ephesians 2: 13-18
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit
There are many reasons that we put up walls to keep people out, to keep people close, to protect ourselves. In our church life we put up walls to stop allowing God in, we put them up to be picky about who we want at church, we put up walls to stop the spreading of the gospel to others and we can also put them up if we don’t feel the church is moving in the direction we want it to.
During this period of lockdown, we have been told by the government to put up walls in the figurative sense to protect ourselves from others and to stop the spread of Covid. This has made life very isolating for us and those around us. We maybe separated from loved ones, our friends, family and our church family. This has been hard for us all.
Working at the hospital I have found it really humbling being able to sit with patients who can’t have anyone sit or visit them. A patient on the ward was deteriorating quite rapidly, the nurse had phoned their family to say that she wouldn’t be with us for much longer. Our hostess on the ward knew her and the family, so we both went and sat with the patient. The hostess was telling me stories about her and the family. While we sat with her she took her last breath. The family hadn’t made it in time but she wasn’t on her own. It brought comfort to the family.
This was a humbling experience which brought down the wall I had built up. Not being at a church service it had made me put up a wall between me and God. After this I have found other ways of being church and being close to God. I have been watching the services online, been watching songs of praise and following the thoughts of the day. God brought down my wall because I let him in.
I found this meditation written by Eddie Askew which I found very thought provoking.
Lord I need your help today, in breaking out. The walls I’ve made and thought were good and comforting, now threaten me.
I’ve shut my gate on life secure, and bolted it!!
All to protect my shop-soiled wisdom, bargain priced and cheaply bought. Plastic pearls, not worth the keeping.
But when I think about it, Lord, it’s not security I’ve found, but prison.
I am self confined within the walls I’ve built, my fear of change the Jailer.
I sit, reluctant, Trying too retain my grasp on the false security of life lived timidly.
And when with new found courage I start too chip away the wall, my hammer bounces off, with small effect, my little efforts useless.
Give me your strength Lord, too face the world afresh. Too make a move that takes me from the sterile shelter of my fears into your light outside.
That’s where real life begins and grows.Its late Lord, I’ve lived so long inside the walls. But in my new gained freedom, the casualties of my fears, strewn round the perimeter of my defences, stir into life.
Joy and adventure, long alien too me, reach out and welcome. I feel the sunshine, hear the birdsong of renewal. I see your face again.
Let us pray
Father God, we thank you that you are always there for us. We thank you that you help to break down the walls we put up and bring us closer to you. When we break down those walls we see things in a new light. We think of those who have lost loved ones we pray that you will break down their wall of grief. When we can gather together we pray that you will break down those walls of communication to continue your church through the ages and to spread your gospel far and wide.
Amen