“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” (Ezekiel 22:30)
God is always looking for those who will stand in the gap for others, just as He did in the days of the prophet Ezekiel. These people are known as intercessors; I like to call them, “gappers” for God’s glory. Does this describe you today?
I use the term gapper to refer to those times when we know someone is experiencing a gap in their relationship with God for any reason, and we exercise the awesome privilege of praying that God will bridge that gap. Whether it is a physical gap (some particular need) or a spiritual gap (some particular sin), we are called by God to intercede on behalf of that person and cry out to God to bridge that gap for His glory and that person’s ultimate good.
If it is a privilege to pray — and it is — how much greater a privilege it is to be praying for others! When we are praying for others, we focus less on ourselves and more on the Savior, and that is always a good thing for the people of God to do. When we pray for others, our relationship with God is strengthened as well as our relationships with those for whom we are praying.
Interceding for others is an unselfish expression of the love of God in Christ Jesus. We know that Jesus lives to intercede for those who come to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25); when we intercede on behalf of others, we are becoming more like the Savior. It’s one of those “win-win” situations in our walk with Jesus. Scripture tells us to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). One of the best ways to bear someone’s burden is to lift them to the throne of grace in prayer.
One final thought to encourage you to act as a gapper: When you are praying for others, you are participating in God’s Kingdom work. Because the Gospel meets both spiritual and physical needs, our prayers for others should also cover both spiritual and physical needs.
If you have not been consistently praying for others in your life, why not begin today? They will be blessed and so will you. Be a gapper for God’s glory!
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 