"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." Ezekiel 22:30
The people of Israel fell into sin when they worshiped the golden calf. It would not be the last time God"s people would fall into idol worship. They had forgotten the great things God had done for them. This angered God so much that He was going to destroy the whole nation. Only one thing changed God"s mind in the matter " Moses. Psalm 106:23 says, "Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, lest He should destroy them." Moses was a man willing to stand in the gap, sacrificially, for those who were not deserving of such sacrifice. This sacrificial love by Moses is called for among His people today.
The prophet Ezekiel described another situation in which God"s people fell into sin. God was ready to destroy the nation when he spoke to Ezekiel, asking him if there is a man willing to stand in the gap so that God would not have to destroy His people.
Judah was a man who stood in the gap on behalf of his younger brother Benjamin. Joseph held his brother Simeon hostage as insurance that the other brothers would bring Benjamin to Egypt. Judah had a long history of a "me" focused life, but in this instance he came forward to stand in the gap for his younger brother. He responded to the anguish of his father, Jacob, by personally guaranteeing the safe return of both Simeon and Benjamin. Judah"s sacrifice was rewarded (see Genesis 42-43).
Just as Christ did, we are to be those who will stand in the gap on behalf of others who are not aware of their own vulnerable condition. It is a proactive sacrificial position. Who is God calling you to stand in the gap for? Perhaps it is a mate, perhaps it is a coworker who has not come to know the Savior, perhaps it is a wayward child. Are you willing to become the sacrificial offering to God to change His plans of judgment because of your willingness to stand in their place? This is a hard teaching. This is what Jesus did for each of us. When we stand in the place of another, God moves because of our willingness to stand on their behalf. If we don"t, His plans will go forward because He is a righteous and holy God who will honor His own word, even if it means destruction. Are you willing to stand in the breach of the wall for someone today? Perhaps you are the only person who will stand on someone"s behalf.
__________________ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Great Post Leaf this is one that I will have to think about and meditate on. Thank you for sharing it. I for one would be happy to have you go into more detail on this one.
One way of looking at it is as a call to be responsible. It's intercessary prayer. For instance, I assume that we all know someone that is lost . .lost, and is in such circumstances that there is probably no one praying for them who we could intercede for daily. Or maybe one day one of our children will be lost and it will be us that stands in the gap, praying for a convicting spirit to be placed upon them , and that dire consequences for their sins not come to pass.
Of course I'm speaking from my own understanding but to me true intercessory prayer is praying with real hope and with a real burden that God would step in and act for the good of some other person(s) . It is trusting that God will act, even if it's not in the manner or timing we seek. God wants us to ask, even urgently. It is casting our weakness before God's strength, and having a bit of God's passion burn in us.
Having a real burden for someone else . . .more than a "you got my prayers brother" and then at best spend all of 30 seconds before God for them.
It really does'nt have to be for a specific individual tho. With the conditions that many of our schools are in, we can intercede for many by having a real burden . . .a real desire, for God's blessings on our children and their teachers. Many folk that take up intercessory prayer can testify that that they are sometimes driven to their knees to pray for someone and then later find out that the individual really needed a move of God at that very time.
__________________ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
leaf, i just wanted you to know that i have read this and really like it, the only thing i could add is that there must be someone standing in the "gap" for us, for i know this is a sorry nation with a few good people that are willing to stand in the path, great post, i only hope i am one of those[&o]
__________________
John 3:16
things are more like right now than they've ever been
It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.
William James
leaf, i just wanted you to know that i have read this and really like it, the only thing i could add is that there must be someone standing in the "gap" for us, for i know this is a sorry nation with a few good people that are willing to stand in the path, great post, i only hope i am one of those
Excellent example MT, many praying people pray for our nation consistantly and with urgency. . . .and overall this is a decadent country . . . America may believe that we stand by military might but we only stand because God allows it.
__________________ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
. . . America may believe that we stand by military might but we only stand because God allows it.
[/quote]
Amen Leaf
__________________
"God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the ONE I can change, and the wisdmon to know that it's ME"
Mac,on Oct. 4,1999 I was one of an estimated 2.6 million men on the Mall in Washington D.C at a Promise Keepers sponsored event called "Stand in the Gap." It was all about just the things you're talking about here, our responsibilities as men, as children of God, as fathers, as husbands, as the spiritual leaders of our families, as Christian examples, etc., etc., etc. There were over 40 speakers - including quite a few well-know ones, when we knelt to pray, you could hear a pin drop and could hear the birds chirping in the trees, and we left the place cleaner than it was when we arrived. It was quite a moving experience and most of us left there later that day ready to accept the challenge.
__________________
Today' s small bucks are tomorrow' s trophies.
[image]http://www.whitetails.com/deer8.html[image]
Standing In The Gap
, i only hope i am one of those[&o]
