Standing in the Gap

“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)

I both love and dislike this verse at the same time.  I dislike this verse because it is hard to imagine that God could look at an entire nation and not find one person to stand for Him.  Yet, at the same time, I like this verse because it motivates me to want to be the person that God will see and say, “I have found one!”

When I was a young Christian, my pastor, Dr. John Morgan, preached on this verse.  He told how God was looking for a man to stand in the gap for Him so that He would not destroy the land.  In my mind, I was thinking, “Wow! God was going to destroy that land if He did find someone to stand in the gap.” Unfortunately, in those days God found no one.

God is still looking for someone today.  God just needs one person to stand for Him. 

Picture yourself in a room full of people.  If God were to walk in and say, “I am looking around to find someone to make a difference in this world for Me.”  Would He look for a little while and then say, “Just as before, I cannot find anyone.”? Or, would He stop when He got to you and say, “Oh, there is one!” Is He right in this verse to say, “I found none?” Or is He wrong, because there is someone in this land who wants to fill that gap. Will you let Bible history repeat itself?

One person can make a difference.  Thomas Edison created the light bulb.  Where would we be today if that one man had not created the light bulb?  Abraham Lincoln was one man, and he led the northern half of the United States of America in the war that ended slavery.  David was a man after God’s own heart. He wrote most of the book of Psalms.  He was the only person in the nation willing to face Goliath.  Dr. Jack Hyles took the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana and made it into the World’s Largest Sunday School.  These are all examples of men who decided to make a difference.  Will you be that one person God uses?

What is stopping you from being that man?  Is it money?  Are you afraid that if you decide to make a difference, you will lose your job?  Is it your friends?  Are you afraid of being laughed at or avoided by your “friends”?  Is it your family? Are you afraid of taking a stand around the people who know you the best?  Or is it your dreams?  Are you afraid of letting God have influence on what you do with your life?

I have two thoughts that I would like to share with you about this subject:

1. You can be the one.

You may not think that you have the ability to make a difference. You may think that you have nothing to offer. You may not have any special talents. However, God can provide you with all the tools you need to serve Him.  You just have to be willing to let Him use you.

Do not be afraid of failure.  Decide you will keep going no matter how tough it gets.  When you fall, get back up and try again.       “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”  (Proverbs 24:16)

Thomas Edison failed to make a light bulb hundreds of times.  Each time he failed, he said that he now had learned one more way how not to make a light bulb.  He did not let failure stop him from making a light bulb.

Moses had a problem.  He had trouble speaking.  He did not use that as an excuse to sit on the sidelines and wait for someone else to stand up to Pharoah. He decided he would give God all that he had, no matter how little he had to offer. Because of that, Moses became the one who stood in the gap for the Israelites.

Walt Disney was fired from a job because his employer said that he lacked imagination and he didn't have any good ideas. He didn't allow himself to stay discouraged.  He used that to inspire him to create one of the greatest companies in history.  

All of these men had obstacles.  They did not let the obstacles stop them from accomplishing their goals.  What about you?  What is keeping you from being the one?

2. You can help someone else be the one.

You may not realize it, but someone is always watching you.  Someday, someone is going to copy you.  When they see you working hard to stand in the gap, they too will want to stand in the gap.  Find someone that you can disciple, and teach them what it means to stand in the gap for God.  Let us take it upon ourselves to make sure that God can find someone today who will stand in that Gap.

As a child I was very quiet. For the most part, I only talked to my immediate family and closest friends. I was not comfortable speaking in front of people.  One day I was telling my mother a story while one of her friends was standing nearby.  When I finished talking, my mom’s friend was surprised.  She had never heard me say that many words before.  Back then, I disliked any situation where I would have to talk to a group of people.

After I heard my pastor preach on this subject, I made the decision that I would spend the rest of my life trying to stand in the gap.  I still did not like public speaking, and I still was not really a people person.  However, I was not going to let that stop me.  I told God,  “ I may not have much to give You, but You can have all of me!” 

What about you?  What is stopping you from standing in the gap for God?  Is He right or is He wrong? Would God look at you and say, “I have one,” or would He again say, “I found none.”