Yesterday our dog, Max, alerted me to the presence of five deer in our back yard. Upon noticing that one of them was a fawn, I grabbed my camera hoping to capture a picture. This I did knowing that the fence enclosing our back yard would greatly interfere with the quality of this photo. This did not deter me. I would take what I could get!
Obviously the fence was standing between me and a beautiful picture. Removing the fence was the only way to prevent my view from being obstructed. Fences come in all shapes and sizes. Perhaps we are unaware of fences we, ourselves, have constructed. In my mind’s eye, a fence is representative of something which occludes our perception of and ability to see Jesus as He truly is…the embodiment of God’s love for us. And what are they made of? We all use different materials.
Have you built a particularly tall fence behind which to hide? Satan loves to help us construct these with the idea that it will block God’s vision of our sin. However, its height in turn blocks our vision of a Heavenly Father urging us to cast off those sins and follow Him. This fence prolongs our separation from God, robbing us of His joy and peace. This truly is a fence of smoke and mirrors as Psalm 139:3 states that God is intimately acquainted with all our ways. Tear it down!
Next, there are fences built of guilt, blurring our vision of a loving, forgiving God who says, “I will forgive their sins and remember them no more.” (Isaiah 43:25) They serve as barricades, constructed of a false belief that we are unworthy of God’s love because of our pasts mistakes. What past mistakes? If we have confessed our sins, Satan is the only one who uses them against us as a separation tactic! Let them go!
Is your fence a dilapidated one because hopelessness has overtaken you. Life has been difficult and you are depleted. Piles of disappointment and days of discouragement have left you numb, hardening your heart. Jesus is there on the other side with His hand stretched outward to help you climb over the ruins and give you new heart so that you can once again feel His love. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26) Take His hand!
Maybe you are thinking that your fence is in excellent condition with an unobstructed view of Jesus. Why, we have freshly white washed our proverbial picket fence with our own works! Others seem impressed by its superior appearance. Surely Jesus is! Perhaps this fence, constructed of our earthly efforts, is the most deceptive of them all. We think our relationship with Him is just as it should be. We are doing our part to maintain it. How deceived we are! “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and not that of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Destroy this fence of pride!
Examine your life and see what fence(s) you need to remove, allowing you to behold Jesus in all of His glory, love and forgiveness. He will help you tear it down, remove the rubble, take your hand and walk by your side through life, the good times and the bad. Because the Bible says we will have trouble in this world (John 16:23), be on guard lest you start gathering materials to build a new fence. My prayers are with you. To God Be the Glory!