Stand in the Gap on Behalf of Our Nation  

Not long ago I noticed a small gap had formed in the siding under an eave of our roof. I temporarily covered the hole from inside the attic with a piece of fix-it-all duct tape. However, it fell off recently due to the effects of our summer heat. So I subsequently purchased and applied some spray foam material that works well to fill in such unwelcome openings. It should be adequate to keep out the weather and any small creatures from venturing into our attic until we employ the more permanent solution of getting the piece of siding replaced.

  This situation reminds me of God’s words to His prophet at a time when Jerusalem was facing divine judgment due to the sins of its inhabitants. “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out my indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads” (Ezekiel 22:30-31). Here we see the true picture of God’s nature – the balance between His love and His wrath. The sins of the people demanded that there must be judgment from a holy God. However, out of His great love, God sought for a way to avoid having to pour out His wrath on those who deserved it. He looked for someone to “stand in the gap.” The concept is of someone building a wall of protection around the city and then standing in any gaps in that structure in order to protect it from the outside enemy. In this case, God was hoping for someone to stand up and intercede to avert His own wrath and judgment.

   I believe our nation is also in danger of God’s judgment. We’re already experiencing not only the consequences of our own poor choices, but also at least the initial showers of God’s wrath being poured out on us. Thankfully, He hasn’t consumed us yet, but we’re not trending in a good direction. Our nation needs people today who will stand in the gap and defend our country from the impending judgment of God. But how do we do that? How can we intercede before God in behalf of our land today?

Primarily, we can stand in the gap by way of prayer. We can pray for there to be repentance and revival. We can confess our sins as a nation and seek God’s mercy. We can pray for our current leaders, as well as ask for God to raise up godly future leaders. We can pray for the Lord to restrain the evil, immorality, violence, and lawlessness. We can likewise ask that what’s good, pure, peaceable, and right will be recognized and promoted. We can pray as Jesus taught us, for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven

Secondly, we can stand in the gap by staying true to God and His Word. We can continue to uphold the truth even as many around us resist it and oppose it. We can proclaim the good news of salvation and warn of the fallout from rejecting God’s grace. We can be voices in the wilderness.

We can also stand in the gap by getting involved in our world, being the hands of Jesus, and making it a better place to live. We can be light in the darkness. We can show God’s love in practical ways, continuing the works which Jesus did to build His kingdom.

As we face the prospect of God’s wrath, will you be someone who will stand in the gap?