STANDING INTHE GAP

As Imeditated on God’s Word a verse in Ezekiel 22:30 stood

outin my mind. The context was about Israel’s wicked leaders

whopresented false visions and divined lies lulling to sleep a

nationthat was in danger of God’s wrath because of their rebellion

andwickedness. God said that he looked for a man to stand in the

gapon behalf of the land so that he wouldn’t destroy it; but he found

none.I marvel at God’s grace and love because He looked for a man

whowould stand in the gap between God and sinful man to prevent

Himfrom destroying the land. God uses people.

InIsaiah 6: 8 after Isaiah has had a vision of God sitting on a throne,

highand lifted up and God’s holiness caused him to say Woe is me

becauseI am a man undone! I am a man of unclean lips and dwell

inthe midst of a people of unclean lips for my eyes have saw the King, the Lordof hosts. An angel touched his lips with a live coal from the altar

andsaid “behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away

andyour sins purged. After this change had happened in Isaiah he heard a

voicesaying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? (The Father, Son

&Holy Spirit) Then Isaiah said, “Here am I! send me.” And He said “Go

andtell this people my message that follows.

Goduses people. He uses prepared people who have been in His presence

andare cleansed from their sins. Since we can’t put God in a box He also

usesmen like Jonah and Nebuchadnezzar, but normally He uses clean vessels. Jonahhad to face being swallowed by a great fish to be willing to

go.Nebuchadnezzar was a heathen king that God used to punish His erring

peopleand He called Nebuchadnezzar, My servant.

InJeremiah 17; 19 God tells Jeremiah to go stand in the gate. He was to

watchthe gate and not let people pass with cargo on the Sabbath. What

stoodout to me was he was to go stand by the gate. In Ezekiel He talked

aboutstanding in the gap. I want to zero in on the “gap”. There is a huge

gapbetween those who make professions of faith in Jesus Christ as their

personalSavior and those who become mature Christians and reproduce.

Shouldwe like an ostrich with its head in the sand deny that many make professions offaith but few grow up in Christ? Is there nothing that we

cando to help this great discrepancy? Is there not a gap that needs some-

oneto step into and with caring and tears not prevent the Christian corral

toempty out? The gap is there. God’s question still echo’s, who will go,

andwho will We send?