Cracked Walls - Part 1

The "temporarily" fixed/patched walls

If you look back in my blog, in summer 2011 I was fixing up my new apartment.  I wrote this then, but was reminded of it because the cracks are showing again!  I will work on part II to post soon.  

"During part of the home improvement project, I've had to use spackling and caulking to fill the cracks in the walls.  It seems that the building keeps shifting.   I can tell that the last time someone painted, they too had to fill the same cracks in the walls.  The spackling and caulking doesn't seem to be fixing the problem (duh, some of you might be thinking).  It seems to be a foundational problem (I guess...I'm no where close to being a professional when it comes to construction!).  So, for now the cracks are just covered up with a layer of spackling and a layer of paint.  But after some time passes, the crack will be exposed again.  My attempts to cover up the cracks are not fixing the problem.

What if I say that I am a cracked wall...and you are probably a cracked wall.  Actually, I can pretty confidently say that we are all cracked walls (Romans 3:23) with a foundation problem.  And guess what we do, when our 'cracks' start to show - we try everything we can to add a layer of spackling and paint to cover them up.  Then they show up again, and we add some more spacking and paint to keep covering the cracks. The "spackling" we use may be running from relationships, having shallow relationships, cutting others down, judging others, buying material things, drinking, using drugs, beating yourself down, striving for perfection, living two-faced lives, etc.  What "spackling" are you using in your life? 


What is the foundational problem (you might be thinking)??  In the beginning, we (as in God's creation) were created to be whole, beautiful, stable, un-cracked walls.  But our desire to have it our way and be in control separated us from God, our Creator, and it broke us - leaving us cracked.  Every way that we try to 'cover up' our problem leads us into deeper shame and brokenness.  It doesn't work. It doesn't leave us satisfied. And it leads to death.

As Romans 6:23 say: The wages of sin is death.  What we deserve for our sin (that Romans 3:23 say we ALL have), is death for eternity.  Its not easy news to handle and it is really discouraging when you don't know how to fix it!

Preview to part 2: Fixing our broken relationship with God (separation from God because of our sin) will make us whole, beautiful, stable, and un-cracked again (for our lives now and for eternity!!)

Check out Genesis 3 and Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23 to see our problem."