Standing in the gap
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:03 am
This day’s devotional provided a thought provoking and challenging image of God as a fierce lion. But even more challenging to me was the picture of what we are called to do, stand in the gap for our people as Moses and Abraham before us.
It’s a hard idea to wrap our minds around. First of all, why should we defend someone that’s done something wrong or foolish? If God has called for justice who are we to stand in His way? Of course, even as pastors, we have all done wrong and foolish things and understand the need for grace. But this leads to the second challenge, if Christ is now interceding before the Father on behalf of all believers, why is it something we as pastors even need to consider and think about? But then again we are His under shepherds and we are called to be like Him and conform to His image so perhaps there’s something there for us. Maybe we are called to intercede on behalf of our flock because that’s exactly what Christ would do. Maybe it’s as much about cultivating a certain heart in us as it is about doing something for them?
When our church insists on making foolish decisions, when people from our church do things that embarrass us and God in the community, when our churches choose tradition even in flagrant opposition to the word of God, when our churches hurt us, what do we do, how do we respond? I don’t know about you but my temptation is to get frustrated, to be upset, and to look around hoping that holy fierce Lion will show up. But I wonder, is our love for them great enough that we will stand in the gap, that we will intercede before God on their behalf, that like Christ is modeling for us even now, we will seek God’s love and forgiveness for their sin? It is not an easy thing to do, but it is the type of shepherd that we are called to be, one that stands in the gap for our flock.
It’s a hard idea to wrap our minds around. First of all, why should we defend someone that’s done something wrong or foolish? If God has called for justice who are we to stand in His way? Of course, even as pastors, we have all done wrong and foolish things and understand the need for grace. But this leads to the second challenge, if Christ is now interceding before the Father on behalf of all believers, why is it something we as pastors even need to consider and think about? But then again we are His under shepherds and we are called to be like Him and conform to His image so perhaps there’s something there for us. Maybe we are called to intercede on behalf of our flock because that’s exactly what Christ would do. Maybe it’s as much about cultivating a certain heart in us as it is about doing something for them?
When our church insists on making foolish decisions, when people from our church do things that embarrass us and God in the community, when our churches choose tradition even in flagrant opposition to the word of God, when our churches hurt us, what do we do, how do we respond? I don’t know about you but my temptation is to get frustrated, to be upset, and to look around hoping that holy fierce Lion will show up. But I wonder, is our love for them great enough that we will stand in the gap, that we will intercede before God on their behalf, that like Christ is modeling for us even now, we will seek God’s love and forgiveness for their sin? It is not an easy thing to do, but it is the type of shepherd that we are called to be, one that stands in the gap for our flock.