Walls of Salvation

"No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.” Isaiah 60:18

I look at our home and see the walls almost complete as construction continues and I think of the security walls brings and what the Bible says about them. How we are promised that no longer will unrest or ruin and destruction come in to our homes or in our hearts as we given Salvation and built up in Him.

The wall is a powerful symbol in the Bible. In Nehemiah we see how the walls of Jerusalem symbolize the strength and protection of God in the believer’s life. The one who goes through life without faith in God, without a relationship with Jesus Christ, must go through life facing it’s various trials without the strong, secure, and steadfast defense that God provides. We see how God wants to clear away the rubble, maybe of the past or the rubble of the day and restore us to truly live for Him. We read how Nehemiah prayed and followed the Lord’s leading to rebuild strong walls in Jerusalem. It was quite a task as the eye could see, and the enemy mocked him but with God all things are possible. In looking up, and trusting God, the rubble of despair was turned to celebration and rejoicing!

Isaiah 26:1-2 says, “In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.” What does this all mean for the Christian? Do we realize where our residence is, not only in heaven but we NOW live in a “strong city and God has appointed salvation for our walls...” Within His walls there is security for His people! Not only do walls keep us safe from enemies, but "Salvation" shall be our walls, converting our hearts and ensuring us great safety. The walls of our lives are Salvation and placed there by a life in Jesus. A wall is a structure that forms an enclosure forming a defense and the Lord wants to be that protection around us. Outside of those walls there is no salvation. Jesus gives us walls of protection.

"No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. Isaiah 60:18. We are protected by God’s saving grace through the gift of forgiveness. We are saved from our sins, we are cleansed from all unrighteousness and because of this it’s gates are praise!

As I think of gates of praise I think of “gates”, the places of entrance into our life. If our gates are Praise, Jesus Himself, what should we allow to enter there? What would He desire we welcome within our walls? If our gates are our eyes, ears and our mouths…may we take time and reflect on that!

I remember years ago sharing with one of my grandchildren as we were talking about the choices in the words we use and the choices we have that God gave us mouths for a His glory “that the lips of the righteous feed many” and our “mouths were made to worship the Lord” and all of our gates! Our eyes are a praise to God, our ears are a praise to God, our lips are a praise to God....how He desires that my answer is His answer, my response is His response, my mouth is His praise. Often we fall and taken our own gates down and we allow the enemy to enter in, as in the children’s songs "Oh Be Careful Little Eyes” and it is never good.

Are you needing to rebuild? Are your walls secure. God is completely capable to restore and speak clearly through difficult times. Jesus alone is our Fortress and our Deliverer....whether burdened for the broken walls in your own life or the walls that you see broken around you....let us look to Jesus who came to save. Jesus gives us Salvation, He gives us a new identity in Him and in Him we have security, deliverance and victory and because of our salvation, praise is created in us.

Lord, we thank you for our salvation and for the praise it brings! We thank you that you surround Your people with the Walls of Salvation and You defend them....we thank you that even you dwell within us by Your Spirit. Help us work out our salvation each day, and stay within the walls. When we encounter a gate that is to praise You and made to keep the fleshly out, give us wisdom and discernment to know Your way and to walk in it. Thank You for Your grace to rebuild our homes and lives in all who seeks Your face.

Help me to see how, by Your hand, I can strengthen the walls of faith in my own life and the lives of those around me, I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen

Let my walls be salvation and my gates praise You...! Isaiah 60:18