USGN Article  - August 2003
Terry & Barbi Franklin
Written by Barbi Franklin

The Mystery Package

Soon after Terry and` I had moved to Nashville 15 years ago, we received a package in the mail.  It was from Germany.  We were surprised, because it had been several years since we’d been there, but we were blessed that someone still remembered our visit well enough to send us a special gift.  But when we opened it, IT WAS A ROCK!

At first, we thought, “What kind of joke is this?”  And then memories of visiting the Berlin wall flooded over us, as we retrieved a piece of paper out of the box with a verse inscribed on it saying, “With Your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall”  Psalm 18:29.  Wow, our tears fell freely as we rejoiced over this symbol of freedom in our hands!

Our dear friends in Germany had retrieved a piece out of the Berlin Wall after it came down and sent it to us.  We were holding a precious representation of freedom.  Freedom from division...  Freedom from oppression...  Freedom from authoritarian dictatorship...  Freedom from prejudice…  Freedom from a great breach of justice upon humankind.

We could only imagine what our friends were feeling as they collected pieces of this structure that had been looming over the center of their divided city of Berlin.  What an amazing release from bondage they must have experienced!  What joy in seeing the miracle finally come to pass that they had prayed over for so many years!

There are many dividing walls, and the Word of God talks about them.  One of the most amazing and revealing scriptures of our faith and doctrine is expressed in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Did you get that?  THE WALLS HAVE FALLEN DOWN!!  Racial, Socio-economic, and gender prejudice are gone!

Not only does the Bible proclaim that there is equality within the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; but, humankind is proclaimed equal!  YES!  God has pronounced that at the cross he abolished hierarchy, favoritism, oppression, and division!! 

Granted, some will put up barriers – even within the church, but God has, through Christ, proclaimed freedom to one and all.  In Ephesians 2:14 it says, “For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…”

PRECIOUS BROTHERS and SISTERS, GOD IS A REDEEMER, A SAVIOR, A HEALER…  AND A RESTORER OF BROKEN DOWN WALLS!  He tears down dividing walls and builds up the “ancient ruins.”  The power of the cross is the resurrection!  He will turn your darkness into light, just give it to him right now!

Previous Article |  Next Article | All Articles