The Dividing Wall: Guest Poster Shelly Hollis...

Today's guest poster is Shelly Hollis from SHINE Ministries. 

"In a word, Shelly is a teacher. She has a passion for studying the precepts of the Bible and has taken Ezra 7:10 to heart: “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.” STUDY~PRACTICE~TEACH – that is her calling." 

To learn more about Shelly or her online Hebrew Inductive Bible Study

 click the corresponding links below:

SHINE Ministries

Hebrews Online Bible Study

Enjoy Shelly's guest post and show her some love.

I am going to ask you a very personal question in this post, friends. Is there someone in your life with which you are not at peace? Something happened – something little – that slowly built a wall of hostility brick by brick by brick.

When the “incident” first happened, you didn’t think too much of the first brick, or even the first row of bricks, that was laid down. As a matter of fact, you may have even supplied some of the mortar that is now keeping that wall in place. But now – oh now – you have a massive brick wall blocking the view and separating you from someone you once loved.

You have prayed for peace in the matter, but it just has not come. You have pounded on the wall, but it has not fallen. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:14 that Jesus Himself is our peace and that He broke down “the barrier of the dividing wall.”

What wall was Paul referring to in these verses? The reference is to a very real wall in the temple that separated the Gentiles into the “outer” court. It was also called the middle wall of partition.

The Jews fully believed that Gentiles would defile the temple if they entered. They even posted a sign that threatened death to any Gentile who was bold enough (or stupid enough) to enter. It was truly a dividing wall of hostility that separated two nations of people.

But Christ abolished that enmity in His flesh by dying on the cross and brought forgiveness of our sins. The cross was not just a great equalizer of Jews and Gentiles, but rather, it created a whole new breed of people - Christ followers. In one felled-swoop, Christ symbolically knocked that dividing wall to pieces, “thus establishing peace” (Ephesians 2:15).

Goodness, don’t you wish Jesus could do that for you right now? Newsflash – He can! The enmity and hostility that built that dividing wall between you and a loved one was built brick by brick. But when you are submissive to Christ, He can demolish that wall immediately for both parties.

What does it take? It takes a lot of humility – maybe even some facedown time before Christ. You see, pride so often keeps one or both parties from allowing Christ to abolish the wall.

The choice is yours…you can choose to continue to hold the grudge or you can choose today to reach across that wall and extend forgiveness with all humility and then watch that wall crumble.

If Christ was able to reconcile two nations into one new man, surely He can reconcile your relationship with your spouse, a friend, or a family member. Choose forgiveness today and let Christ be your peace and your demolition crew!

Note from Dawn: The subject of this guest post hit hard for me. Bricks seem to sneak in and build the dividing wall quicker than I like to admit. Thanks to Shelly for the reminder of where I need to go to have the wall removed.