12-4-17<\/p>\n
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts<\/em> (Isaiah 26:1).<\/p>\n At this time of turmoil and fast-moving events \u2013 television news crews must think they are participating in triathlons these days; and viewers risk whiplash \u2013 we try to process wars and rumors of wars; economic upturns; legislative battles; scandals and daily surprises; government crises; terrorism; candidates rising and falling here and abroad\u2026<\/p>\n Our lives go on, and I pray that holidays recently celebrated and coming soon are remembered as just that: holy-days.<\/p>\n In times when we feel adrift, even when some of us feel the thrill of change (for surely we all regret the changes just as often)\u2026 the anchor holds. The anchor MUST hold: we need to be moored and have security. It is useful not only to our bodies and peace of mind and our economies and our sanity, but our very souls.<\/p>\n A problem, if not THE problem, of our time is that too many people, and our culture itself, is ignorant of life\u2019s anchors and their importance. Worse, contemporary society rejects the very concept of anchors \u2013 grounding, standards, Truth \u2013 and how essential they are to our lives. They are not options but necessary components.<\/p>\n With a great debate on taxes behind us, and despite other issues swirling about, the question of Walls will remain. It is not owned by one politician or one party, even if it seems so. Borders \u2013 as with language and culture \u2013 are elemental definers of a nation. The mightiest wall I have seen in my life surrounds the Holy City, the Vatican. There are others around the world. The Great Wall of China is so great as to be seen by orbiting astronauts; it was not ornamental, however, but an effective defense for centuries.<\/p>\n The White House has a secure fence, though sometimes porous. Museums have gates and Plexiglas shields. Bridge walkways have guard-rails \u2013 for safety; sometimes against suicide attempts. Liberal celebrities, despite their anti-gun and anti-wall positions, live behind armed guards and fortified walls. The estate of film producer Michael Moore, in my neck of the woods, has defenses that could repel many armies.<\/p>\n In the end, of course, walls are neutral structures. Like guns, or even votes, their usefulness depends on the functions for which they are designed, and the character of the owners. The strength and effectiveness of walls are not always gauged to keep people out, neither to keep people in: Ultimately, the strength of families, homes, and communities is measured by in what lives within<\/em> the walls.<\/p>\n The operative factor, then, is not physical strength. Not weapons ready to attack, nor shields with which to defend.<\/p>\n It is righteousness, the God of our Fathers told us. It can be manifested in songs of praise.<\/p>\n At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites\u2026 were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres<\/em> (Nehemiah 12:27).<\/p>\n It is prosaic, perhaps, to seize upon the upcoming Holy Days of many faiths to pray that we can take a breath, or escape the maelstroms for a spell, and count our blessings. Too many of us, during overheated crises, take perverse joy in hating\u2026 or, at least, in fighting. Even when we think our cause is just \u2013 or convince ourselves that we are fighting HIS fight, not our own \u2013 let us not forget that \u201cLove does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails\u2026.\u201d I Corinthians 13:5-8.<\/p>\n Love is a weapon too.<\/p>\n + + +<\/p>\n Reminding us that walls are not exclusive but always have utility, this video clip is of joyful singing unto the Lord in Jerusalem, at David\u2019s Citadel. The Isaacs; mom Lily and her children Becky, Ben, and Sonya.<\/p>\n