Gap Man
Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
This verse is taken from a passage that God is addressing the rampant wickedness of His people, displayed in forms from oppression, robbery, manipulation, and spiritual dishonesty. The condition of His people was deplorable, and God was looking for a man to “make up the hedge and stand in the gap” but as the verse finishes it is indicated that the nation was absent of anyone. Which is curious to me in that throughout Scriptures we see time after time God taking fallen, messed up people and using them mightily for His purposes. Abraham was a liar, Samson an egotistical womanizer, David an adulterer, Peter was hard-headed, and Paul was a persecutor of the church, yet God used all of these people. In each of these individuals it was not what abilities that they had but the submission to the Master that made them usable.
The concept of looking for a man to stand in the gap has become increasingly more of an issue for me lately. This last month the Lord, in His sovereignty, decided to call home my father-in-law way too early from my perspective. He not only was a great influence in my personal life but also served in the church here as a deacon and head usher. Faithfully he would welcome people into the church with a friendly smile and arrange for the offering to be collected and taken care of to alleviate those things from my responsibilities each Sunday. Currently we are looking for a man or men to fill those roles so that we can continue to operate efficiently.
Another place that I am looking to replace a man that has stood in the gap for a time that now has decided that the Lord would have for him to step down is the position of Executive Director for Baptists for Life of Wisconsin. Pastor Andrew Buhrow has faithfully served in this capacity since 2012 and is ready to pass the torch to someone to be on the front line as a defender of life in the dark world where the sanctity of life has been disregarded at the altar of self. We live in a day when children are not seen as a heritage from the Lord but as an accessory or even worse as a drain and limitation of freedom. The overturning of Roe vs. Wade has only served to unfortunately remove a rallying point for those that are called to be a defender of the defenseless as seen in Psalm 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.”
The amazing thing for me to meditate upon is that for both of these roles there will be people that do not believe that they are qualified, or able to “make up the hedge” adequately. While that may be true for some, the fact is that God will always equip the willing servant with the ability to accomplish what He desires for them to do. My abilities and preferences are given to me by the Lord and who am I to say that God will not give me the ability needed and change my desires to accomplish the task in front of me. Stepping out in faith to pursue whatever God has led me to do is filled with uncertainty as to the outcome otherwise it would not require faith. The question that may need to be answered is whether you are placing your faith in your abilities to do something, or placing your faith on the omnipotent, omniscient Sovereign to supply what is required.
In this dark world that is lacking in men and women that will dare to take a stand for Biblical morals there is ever increasing need for Christians to become “Gap Men and Women” to plead the truth to the world around us. My earnest plea in this area is that we not only are willing to pray for God to raise up people to “make up the hedge” but also be asking the Lord what would you have for me to do. May we respond as Isaiah did in Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Pastor Eric O. Buhrow
Member of the Board, BFLW
Immanuel Baptist Church, Rice Lake, WI