Standing in the Gap: A Divine Call to Intercession
Ezekiel 22:30 is one of the most sobering verses in Scripture: "I sought for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one."
These words pierce straight to the heart of our calling as believers. God wasn't searching for an army—He was looking for just one person willing to stand between His righteous judgment and a people who had lost their way—one intercessor, one gap-stander. Tragically, He found none.
Understanding the Gap
The metaphor of "standing in the gap" comes from ancient city walls. When enemies breached these walls, brave defenders would literally stand in the broken places – the gaps – to protect their city. In the spiritual realm, this represents placing ourselves between God's righteous judgment and those who need His mercy.
But what does being a "gap person" mean today?
It means building walls of righteousness where moral boundaries have crumbled
It means standing firm in prayer when others have given up
It means being willing to intercede even for those who may never know you fought for them
Learning from Biblical Gap-Standers
Scripture gives us powerful examples of those who stood in the gap:
Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah, negotiating with God to spare the cities if even ten righteous people could be found. Though the cities were ultimately destroyed, Abraham's heart for intercession reveals God's willingness to hear our prayers for others.
Moses repeatedly stood between God's judgment and the rebellious Israelites. Psalm 106:23 tells us that Moses "stood in the breach before Him, to turn away His wrath from destroying them." Moses was willing to have his own name blotted out of God's book if it meant saving his people.
The Ultimate Gap-Stander
Jesus Christ stands as the supreme example of standing in the gap. Romans 8:34 declares that He "is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us." Through His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus bridged the ultimate gap between humanity and God, becoming our eternal intercessor.
Our Call Today
This ancient calling remains urgently relevant. In our divided world, we need gap-standers more than ever:
Parents standing in the gap for their children
Leaders standing in the gap for their communities
Christians standing in the gap for a world that desperately needs God's mercy
The sobering reality is that sometimes, we are the only ones willing to stand in the gap for certain people or situations. Like in Ezekiel's time, God is still searching for those who will answer this sacred call.
Taking Our Place
The gaps around us are evident – in our families, our churches, our communities, and our nation. The question is not whether there are gaps to fill, but whether we will be the ones to fill them.
Will we be the ones God finds when He searches for gap-standers? Will we commit to the holy work of intercession, even when it's difficult and thankless? The call is clear. The need is urgent. The gaps are waiting.
May we, like Abraham, Moses, and ultimately Jesus, be found faithful in standing in the gap, knowing that the destinies of others may depend on our willingness to stand.
"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." - James 5:16