An example from Jesus and a calling from God: ‘Stand in the gap’

By Dean Collins

Recently we named a new and unique scholarship program, GAP. Over the years Point University, where I serve as president, has focused many prayers and many hours of work serving students who have limited resources to attend college. One way we are serving this population is with a subscription-based approach where businesses fund the tuition and the students buy their books. In less than two years, we have enrolled over 1,000 students in this program.

Standing in the gap

Our new GAP program stands for Generational Advocacy Program. Through this program, donors fund the subscription and the college sources the students in communities where there is financial need. The name for this program hit me while reading a passage in Ezekiel:

“And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none” (Ezekiel‬ ‭22‬:‭30‬ ‭ESV‬‬).

The sin and rebellion of Ancient Israel continued even after the first deportation of the first round of captives taken to Babylon. Ezekiel spoke on behalf of God and referenced a general collapse of many aspects of life in Jerusalem. There was economic and political failure of leadership. False prophets had been trusted, injustices were prevalent, and leadership was weak. As these problems continued, God spoke through Ezekiel in chapter 22 concerning an unavoidable punishment due to the sins of the people.

Unlike the story of Moses when he stood in the gap for God’s people after their worship of the golden calf, there was no one to stand in the gap for those in and around Jerusalem.

Jesus in the gap

I imagine with some prayer and pondering, you could recall moments in your life when someone, hopefully a Christ follower, stood in the gap for you when you didn’t have the faith or the resources to resolve some difficult situation. Your problem may have been prompted by sin. Or it might have come by the sins of others.

Reading through Hebrews the last few days strikes me as I consider Moses standing in the gap for the Israelites and no one standing in the gap for God’s people during Ezekiel’s prophetic word. All through the book of Hebrews, we read how Jesus was superior to anything that had happened before for the world. As we consider these Old Testament references, we realize the writer of Hebrews was correct. Jesus was greater than the prophets of old and superior to the priests.

Jesus came not just as a messenger but as the Son of God. He offered his life on a cross to pay for the sins of humanity, once and for all. There is no longer a need for daily and annual blood sacrifices as had been performed by the priests in previous generations.

Jesus’ outstretched hands on the cross of Calvary shield the wrath of God due because of our sinfulness. He took our shame and our place and by his stripes we are healed.

We can stand, too

As we consider all of the ways Jesus stood in the gap for us, we are also reminded of the many things we are to advocate for and help each other. Jesus bore our sins, and our faith in him places us in a community of faith where we are called to stand with and for others.

I am thinking about approximately 100 passages of Scripture where we are told to do something for “one another.” I think I have probably written about this before and might again, but to jar our memory, consider a few instructions you will find familiar:

Love one another
Honor one another
Be devoted to one another
Build up one another
Forgive one another
Pray for one another

And there are many more. When we follow these instructions, we frequently will be standing in the gap for a brother or sister in need.

Every church and every faith-based nonprofit needs volunteers and donors who will stand in the gap for the people God has called us to love and serve.

Programs like Point University’s new GAP scholarship allow students with limited resources to get their education online taught by professors and supported by staff who pray for these students. We have the joy of seeing what God does when we choose to stand in the gap for another.

Lord, today we come to you with hearts filled with thanksgiving for what you did for us on the cross. “Thank you” seems so weak in comparison to what you have done for us. We praise you and thank you for who you are, for what you have done, and for calling us your sons and daughters. Now Lord, make us aware of others in need so we might stand in the gap for them in their time of need. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your time with God’s Word
Psalm‬ ‭106‬:‭19‬-‭23‬; Exodus‬ ‭32‬:‭10‬-‭14; ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭19‬-‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Photo by Small Group Network on Unsplash
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