A BILLION YEARS FROM NOW!
"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land, but I found none." (Ezek 22:30 -NIV)
'The Gap': A breach, a place of bareness, a place where the enemy can run roughshod over the land keeping it and its people in physical and spiritual ruin, and, a place God desires to manifest His presence.
God works with and through people, people who will agree to standing with Him in a literal void of poverty and hellish devastation so that He can be there, just as He was with Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Gideon and an endless host of others.
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I remember my brother relating an incident to me about a time that he was in his 'souped-up' Chevy going somewhere with a friend when some rowdy characters in the vehicle behind them began tailgating. He said at first it seemed they were challenging him to race, but soon became apparent that they were looking for trouble, and, although patiently trying to, he couldn't shake them.
Finally, he told me, He hit a traffic jam and had to stop. In the mirror he noticed the vehicle behind him now emptying itself of its passengers. He jumped out ready to take them on; believing his friend with him would do likewise. To his amazement however, he heard him shout "Here!" then watched a tire iron sail thru the open window and bounce around on the pavement at his feet. And then, even more amazing, his 'friend' wound the windows up and locked the doors, sealing himself inside and my brother outside, to face the 'demons'-alone.
Thankfully, and by no small miracle for one man facing a mean-eyed force, he told me that there was no violence just some heavy words, and somehow it all turned out OK. Except for the 'friendship', he said that would obviously change. _____________________________________
Life is a journey, and if we've expressed faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior we don't go it alone, God is right there with us. In fact, if we'll trust Him enough He's got the wheel. Like my brother though, He doesn't want just a fair-weather friend for a companion, someone who will toss some 'coins' at Him when threatened with adversity. Rather, He wants a grit-gutted spiritual brawler, someone who will stand with Him and still be standing when the fight's over. As much as God needs tangible dollars to work with, he needs our lives to work through. God's very own word tells us that he rewards that kind of commitment.
"The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He also had 7 sons and 3 daughters. (Job 42:12-13 -NKJV)
One day each of us will arrive at our God-given destination. We will have taken our last step, performed our last task, entered or left our house for the last time, taken our last breath. With that in mind, perhaps we should each ask ourselves the following question:
A billion years from now, what will matter about this brief life-span 'moment'-or any of these present struggles, victories or defeats-the house I did or didn't live in, the prestigious car, or the clunker I drove, the neighbors I impressed, the exotic vacation(s) I did or didn't take, the investments, the portfolio, the money in the bank?
Only what's done with eternity in mind-only the salvation we did or didn't accept-only what's done for Christ.
The Grace Christian Mission Hospital Project is a God-given opportunity to stand in the gap with God and invest in eternity, if you haven't already done so, won't you please join us? Luke 1:37
