(March 07, 2022) Mama Lava shares a precious meditation…                           

‘If these walls could talk, I wonder what secrets they’d tell’ – Gayle Forman.

Do you ever find yourself starring at the wall? I’ve been staring at the one in front of me for several minutes. I’m sure it could say many things if it could speak, but right now, I’m relying on its quiet strength.

My wall (right) – the wall in front of me – has witnessed many conversations marked by an array of emotions. The myriad of words do not echo in the wall like they do in my head. The sound has been absorbed and silenced.

The wall in front of me stands straight and tall, unaffected by the frenetic energy on either side. It divides the chaos and is still. It steadies me.

This wall in front of me is pierced. I’ve removed the art that has adorned it for the last few years and all that remains are a few protruding screws and some nail holes. Somehow, it is still stately.

As constructs of the mind, walls get a bad rap. They are said to represent confinement and stand in the way of progress. Yet, I find solace in mine.

It was Isaac Newton who said, ‘We build too many walls and not enough bridges.’ And Ronald Reagan commented that ‘There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.’

I find Jesus at the wall in front of me
And today when my brain has passed the point of overload, my wall in front of me is reassuring. It lets me stare and gather myself. It shares its quiet dignity.

As I have only the wherewithal to sit and stare at the wall, I find Jesus here. His Holy Spirit shows me how the wall in front of me is like my Saviour. He does for me daily what the wall is doing for me now.

For example, He hears the emotion in my words, erases my confusion, and gives me solace. I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 14:33a, ‘For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.’

And He stands unmovable amidst the chaos, and I also recall Hebrews 12:28, ‘Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.’

In Isaiah 53:5, the prophet wrote,‘But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.’

He has been tortured and wounded but has never lost His glory. ‘A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell’ – C.S. Lewis.

 His reputation has been marred and yet my soul loves Him
Jesus warned us that ‘…many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Messiah,” and will deceive many. ‘… But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus’ (Matthew 24:5; see also 2 Timothy 3:14-15).

When actions end and words fail, when I have nothing left but an empty stare, Jesus invites me to lift my eyes and see Him. He stands sure and strong and beckons me to rest.

I’ve been staring at the wall in front of me for several minutes now. In the stillness…

• I’ve felt my Saviour with me.
• I’ve recognised His peaceful presence.
• I’ve been inspired.
• He has equipped my soul.
• He’s reminded me of my purpose.
• He realigned my focus.
• I’ve been so consoled!

How about you?
Do you need to spend some time staring at the wall with Jesus?

What do you notice about the wall in front of you that reminds you of His greatness?

May I remind you of Ephesians 2:21-22, ‘In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.’

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Mama Lava believes in making the big world a bit smaller through connection. Believing that everybody deserves to be wrapped in maternal love when they need it, she regularly shares encouragements… telling life experiences from an unapologetically Christian point of view the way she sees it, just as a mother does, via her link, Mama Lava’s Back Porch (A Dose of Maternal Love).
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