Broken Walls

My husband can truly fix anything.
He has an engineering degree and a Masters in business administration.
But at the core of this man is a woodworker and a repair man.

I don’t say that lightly.
I am terribly spoiled.
In thirty years of marriage, I can count on one hand the times we have had to hire someone to repair something for us.

When the children got older, we finished a part of our basement.
My husband designed the space, framed it, and did all the electrical work.
He did everything but the dry wall, which was more of a two man job.
It was one of the few times we hired someone to do work for us.

My two year old clothes dryer was making a horrible screeching noise last week.
My husband went online, purchased a kit, and basically rebuilt the dryer.
It is as good as new.

When I asked him why the dryer would have this problem after only two years, his engineer brain kicked in, and explained that at two loads of laundry a day, 365 days a year…that would be almost 1,500 loads of clothes in the dryer.
OK…

The engineer mind is a different sort of mind.
Very practical…a problem solver…quiet…faithful.

When we were first married, my husband was a test engineer.
He loved the fact that he would get a project…figure it out…complete it…get a new project.
But as he moved up into management, he did less hands on problem solving.

I think that is why my husband loves woodworking.
Give him a piece of wood and it becomes an armoire for our family room, a long shaker-style table with benches for our kitchen, a doll cradle, a jewelry box, window seat…
The list is endless.

My husband volunteers each year to build homes with either Habitat for Humanity or the Fuller Center for Housing.
He builds homes nationally and internationally.
His heart’s desire is to build a house on every continent.
He is well on his way…Europe, Africa, and Australia are still on his list.

I have never forgotten something my husband told me.
When he builds homes in other countries, the people are poor, but the families are intact.
The fathers are there…living with their family.
The father will roll up his sleeves, work alongside the team, and help build his own home.

When my husband builds homes here in our country, the fathers are missing.
The team is usually building a home for a single mother with children.
Often, three generations will be living in one house.

What does that say about the state of the family in our country?

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
(Isaiah 58:12)

Our walls are broken down.
The ramparts that surround us and protect us are slowly being destroyed.

Nehemiah dealt with the same problem when he heard about, and then saw for himself, that the walls around Jerusalem were destroyed.

The walls needed to be rebuilt.
He had an ingenious plan.
Everyone would rebuild the section of the wall that was in front of their own house.

Nehemiah said, You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace. (Nehemiah 2:17)

Everyone had a vested interest in the section of the wall that was at their own doorstep.
For their own protection, it needed to be rebuilt…and rebuilt well.
Amazingly, goldsmiths worked next to perfumers; ordinary men worked next to the rulers of districts; merchants worked next to sons and daughters.

There was political opposition to the rebuilding of the wall.
When the officials heard that the gaps in the wall were being closed, they stirred up trouble and tried to make it difficult to rebuild.

Nehemiah wisely told the people, Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome and fight for your brothers and sisters, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes. (Nehemiah 4:14)

With prayer and determination…with trust in God and hard work…the wall was rebuilt in only 52 days.

When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. (Nehemiah 6:16)

It is no different today.
Our walls are broken down.
Skilled craftsman are needed next to ordinary laborers to get the job done.

There are gaps in our wall that need to be filled.
First…with the mortar of prayer.
Then…brick by brick…with hard work and determination…and with the help of our God.

Let’s roll up our sleeves.
We will be amazed at how quickly the gaps will be filled.
With our wall intact, we will be strong again.
We will not be disgraced.

“Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. (Nehemiah 2:18)