I'm rediscovering that Ezekiel is a tragic book in the Bible. In much of today's passage, God talked to (and through) Ezekiel about the wickedness of His people. They deserted Him and his ways for all kinds of sin. At the end of this passage, I found this excerpt of God's Word to Ezekiel particularly sad:
"I looked for someone
to stand up for me against all this,
to repair the defenses of the city,
to take a stand for me
and stand in the gap
to protect this land
so I wouldn't have to destroy it.
I couldn't find anyone.
Not one..."
Isn't that heartbreaking? God felt totally deserted by the people He loved. He wanted just one to love Him back--and to take a stand for Him and stand in the gap to protect their land--but no one did.
I wonder how often that happens today? I wonder how many times God looks at the earth and sees people committing atrocities, looking for one person who will take a stand with Him against evil or injustice.
I hope that these verses are never echoed again. I pray that people like you and me will rise up and stand in the gap for people who desperately need God and His love. I hope that we won't ever get tired of praying for them. And I pray that we won't ever tire of standing for God--even if we have to do it alone.
Tomorrow: Ezekiel 23-24
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