We have all heard about the Berlin Wall. It was begun in August, 1961, and this month marks the 24th anniversary of its building. Oddly enough, it was built to keep the citizens of East Germany in.
Most other walls have been built to keep someone out. The greatest of all was the Great Wall of China, more than 4,000 miles long. (Recent discoveries seem to indicate that it was actually about 2,000 miles longer!) It is said that it was one of only two man-made objects to be seen in the early photos sent back from space.
The Romans built a great wall too. Hadrian's wall stretched all the way across the north of England and it, too, was so strongly built that much remains until now.
All through the ages men have built walls as high and as strong as possible; in fact, we are still seeing walled communities being built in the name of security. Some of these are not too different from the walled cities of old!
And there are other walls—individual walls—that people are building as fast as they can. Oh, not walls of brick and stone, but they are walls nonetheless. Here is one: "Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you." Isa. 59:22But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2). Isn't that a wall?
Men try also to build walls that shut God out! "God is love"—but shut Him out! "God is light"—but we don't want light to show up our sins! Shut that out too.
Shut out love—divine love—God's love? A love that forgives and redeems and blesses, that cherishes and shelters and protects, a love that "passes knowledge"? Yes, we can do that and build the wall ever higher.
We may think, If God is all-powerful, why doesn't He just break down the wall and enter anyway?
In the Bible we read that the Lord Jesus stands at the door and knocks. You, yourself and no other, must answer that knocking. You, yourself, must open the door of your heart. Only you can say, "Come in, Lord Jesus!" He will certainly do it.
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." Rev. 3:2020Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20).
Why not let Him in now?