Painted Walls

“I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.” Psalm 69:30,31 (NIV)

Rising early with the dawn, quietly I sat in my chair with a saddened heart filled with memories of the family argument the night before still ringing in my ears as I opened my Bible and began to read from a list I had of things that please the Lord. Jumping off the list and into my heart was the part about how singing songs of praise to the Lord was pleasing to Him according to Psalm 69.

Last nights fight was about as pleasurable to His ears as it was to mine. Quickly I identified the fact that I needed to do something different this morning to get back on track. Therefore, to follow what I knew was right so I wouldn't do what was wrong, such as meditating on the negative; I began to sing praise hymns to the Lord.

I needed to replace the anger left over from the night before with praises to the Lord. The more I sang the happier I became, and my night troubles were made brighter in the day. I could only hope that those who were still in bed heard me out in the living room and kitchen repainting the anger stained walls with praises and love. “Would the new paint job last all day?” I asked myself. Was it enough to cover or replace what needed to be erased? Would it need a second coat when I got home from work?

As it got closer to the time for me to leave for work I knew my singing voice would be going with me, I needed someone to watch over and protect my house. Turning to the Lord I asked Him to send a band of angels to not only encamp around it, like it says in Ps 34:7 "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers then."

No, I needed them to come inside as well to guard against the demons trying so hard to break my family. The minute I asked for them I knew they were there, standing guard, doing the work of the Lord.

Soon after arrival I wanted to try and visualize what it really looked like to have our tiny home full of God's angels that were sent to protect it and keep the newly painted walls from peeling. As I continued to sing hymns of praise to the Lord I began pointing to the angels to join with me on particular words, echoes or chorus.’

It was so totally awesome and uplifting. It almost felt like being in a parade where those going first set the stage for the guest of honor to arrive. Within minutes the presence of the Lord, not just His angels, was felt as I continued to sing to the Lord.

Feeling somewhat guilty that I was possibly taking up more than my share of angels I thought of the evening news from the night before. Another young couple somewhere in the state was having their own family argument; however, their outcome was different as the husband wound up dead. As seen on the news it looked like every law enforcement agent from miles around was at their house. What a perfect night to do something illegal elsewhere someone remarked while the police force seemed to be preoccupied at this one family’s home.

Praise the Lord that isn’t the case with the Lord and His angels, that there’s plenty to go around. We can’t keep God preoccupied enough in one area that He doesn’t know what is going on in other areas of our lives, as well as in the lives of additional people. It’s up to us to summons Him forward to the center of our hearts, lives, and minds in order to redecorate what Satan so passionately wants to sabotage. Taking us from those moments of feeling great brokenness and drained from situations in life to times of peace and feeling strongly His presence as the walls of our lives remain painted with His love and praises.

Dear Heavenly Father thank you so much for your presence and your ability to turn situations around if we would only allow you to come inside our homes, hearts, and families. Praise You Lord that there is plenty of You to go around, that there’s not a heart You can’t mend nor a spilled out spirit you can replenish. To You be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

© 2007 by Karen J. Gillett