Being among the watchmen

In a lot of Christian teaching, there is a great deal of metaphoric language.  One such metaphor is the image of "breaking down walls" which has frequented sermons that I've listened to since I was a kid.  It just seems to be an easy way of expressing the Lord's desire to break strongholds in lives-- like pride, or anger, or depression, or grief.  These are emotions that can weigh heavy upon us and, at times, feel inescapable; like a wall built to prevent escape... not built to protect.

In the Old Testament (or, the Hebrew Testament), there are verses that reference the watchmen who are designated to guard the walls of protection.  These are very different walls than those that guard our strongholds.  And the watchmen wait diligently for morning to come.  In Psalm 130, David proclaims

I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for morning, 

more than watchmen wait for morning.

There are walls that are built for the purpose of protection.  And guardians who are also given to the protection of the wall and what it protects.  What I love most about this verse about the watchmen is that David equates the diligence of the watchmen to the way that his soul longs after the Lord.  Diligently, with patience, with alertness, and with the promise that morning comes each day.  This year at Wesley, one of our themes for the year is: rebuilding the walls and re-digging the wells.  We have taken a place on the wall... metaphorically, yes.  But also, quite literally.  

This is a picture of our staff praying outside of the building where we meet.  We have taken the place of the watchmen.  We are intercessors for what happens on the inside of this building ever Wednesday night.  We ask the Lord to protect this place; to make it a place of freedom, of safety, of joy.  As we guard the wall of protection, we simultaneously ask God to remove any walls that are preventing people from feeling loved, heard, and fought for by God. And that when those walls come down, people find safety behind the Lord. 

It is a true place of humility to be among the watchmen... to bear witness to joyful intercession, to see hearts broken out of love for those who have been broken by life's circumstances, and to diligently watch the wall.