Month: October 2021

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. I couldn’t find anyone. Not one. Ezekiel 22:30 from The Message

This past week as early release for conference week was happening in the schools around our area, my mind went back to all the years we teachers held conferences with parents on these days. Most of the time we were all on the same page when we discussed their student, but sometimes the things we teachers saw at school were not what the parents saw at home and vice versa. It was always an enlightening time, and it was always uplifting for us to see how parents rise to the occasion to stand in the gap for their children.

When we stand in the gap for someone, we literally stand in the middle and offer protection and defense for that person or thing. Just like Abraham stood in the gap for Sodom when God was going to destroy the city because it had turned against him, we have opportunities to do that same thing.

Abraham became the intercessor. God asked him to find fifty righteous people, then ten, but Abraham could find only one, his nephew, Lot. God spared Lot, because of Abraham, but He destroyed the city.

In the ancient world of the Bible, cities had walls surrounding them to protect them from enemies. When the wall was breached, the city was vulnerable to destruction and the only way to secure it was for people to risk their lives by literally standing in the gap in the wall and fighting the enemy.

There are many times when we stand in the gap for others or they stand in the gap for us. In the nineties, our church began a women’s spiritual retreat every year where we would gather for the weekend to study and praise God. One year we were fortunate to have Mrs. Jeannette Cathy as our guest speaker and Babbie Mason as our worship leader. What a dynamic duo!

Mrs. Cathy began her time with us by telling us that she was very nervous, and she needed our help. Every time she faltered or stopped, she asked if we would encourage her by saying, “You can do it!” The group there only had to encourage her a couple of times, but each time, there was a sense of standing in the gap for her. She did a fabulous job of bringing us together!

At the conclusion, Babbie sang her song entitled Standing in the Gap. The words were so powerful and the perfect end to the evening! She ended the song with these words: Just remember someone somewhere is praying for you. Calling out your name. Praying for your strength. I’ll be standing in the gap for you. Written by Babbie

God sends people to stand in the gap for us in this life. He sends those who will pray on our behalf and intercede in difficult times. Sometimes we never know who is praying for us or standing in the gap for us, but God knows and hears. Oftentimes, we hear that someone is facing an illness, a hardship, or a tragedy, and instead of looking the other way, we pray that we can share the burden. If someone we love is hurting, we are hurting too, and we, as Christians, are willing to stand in the gap with them.

Standing in the gap is born from a faith which we acquire through our knowledge of God, which leads to our awareness of it, then becomes belief, and finally trust that He is there for us. Faith isn’t born at a negotiation table, but rather through our good works, good deeds, and times when we stand in the gap for others. This faith never goes out of style.

God comes in our times of greatest need and with Him comes a sudden calming presence. In Ephesians 2:8 we hear these words, For it is by grace that you have been saved and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift from God.

We are great sinners, but we have an even greater God who is ready and willing to stand in the gap for us.

In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Years ago, I learned that being decisive is sometimes one of the hardest things we will ever be asked to do. It’s much easier, especially for me, to be one of the “whatever everyone else wants to do” or “it doesn’t matter to me” group of people. The trouble with that is many times we end up doing something we don’t really want to do or lamenting the decision that was made. I envy the people who seem to have no problem making decisions and moving ahead with the plan.

Decisiveness is defined as settling an issue or producing a definitive result. Making decisions or knowing in which direction we should head on things is difficult. It is said that when Christopher Columbus set out on his voyage in 1492, he didn’t know where he was going. When he arrived, he didn’t know where he was, and when he returned home, he didn’t know where he had been!!

We all need help at times knowing in which direction we should go. As my neighbor likes to say, “There are many squirrels lying in the middle of the road because they couldn’t make a decision“.

We sometimes don’t make decisions because we are afraid we will make the wrong one. The scripture says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting. The doubting man is double minded, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8) In other words, ask God and then take His wisdom without doubting. Take the wisdom with confidence.

Good decisions should reflect our mission in life and highlight our potential. God has created each of us with our very own mission in life. It’s a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Our responsibility is to seek Him for guidance as we navigate the decision, and remember that nothing can take the place of knowing that will. If we don’t know it, we are likely to spend our lives doing the wrong things.

Finally, if we don’t make our own decisions, somebody else will make them for us. President Reagan liked to tell the story of how he learned to make firm decisions. It seems that when he was a boy, his aunt sent him to a cobbler to have a new pair of shoes made for him. When the shoemaker asked if he wanted a square toe or a round toe on the shoe, he couldn’t decide. The cobbler asked him to come back in a few days and tell him what he wanted. In a few days, Reagan admitted to the cobbler that he just couldn’t make up his mind. The cobbler replied, “Well then, your shoes will be ready tomorrow.” When Reagan came in to try on his new shoes, one had a round toe and one had a square toe! It pays to be decisive!

God would have us to be decisive about His kingdom and our faith. It’s amazing that most of us Southerners have no problem deciding on our favorite team. We display the flags, banners, shirts, and spirit wear proudly, but we have a problem letting people know where we stand on our faith. If we aren’t decisive about it, rest assured others will take that privilege away from us and make the decision for us! Standing in the middle on decisions never helps anyone.

In The Message by Eugene Peterson these words from Revelation 3:15 say it plainly. Jesus said, “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot. It’s far better to be cold or hot. You’re stagnant.”

The worst case in decision making is that we get it wrong, and we learn what NOT to do next time. The best case is that we pray for wisdom, make a decision, and stand by it.

I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back, No turning back. I Have Decided to Follow Jesus Anonymous

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

One of my favorite Broadway musicals from years ago is Wicked, the story of the differences we find in people along our life’s path. The most meaningful piece of music for me is, For Good, a musical duet between Elphaba (the wicked witch of the West) and Glinda (the good witch of the South).

The song’s lyrics address how both Elphaba and Glinda have been changed by their friendship, or the pleasure of knowing each other. Glinda begins by saying that while she doesn’t know if people come into one another’s lives for a reason, “I know I am who I am today because I knew you”. Similarly, Elphaba tells Glinda that “whatever way our stories may end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend”. They both agree that because they knew each other, they have been changed for good.

What does it mean to be changed for good? This phrase is defined as an improvement in a situation or state of affairs. Rather than thinking of a change for good in a situation, it’s more important to me to think of it in terms of people who make a difference.

When we begin to think of all the people who have come into our lives, and because our paths have crossed we are changed for the better, the memories and the thanks can begin to add up. There are of course, the obvious people such as our spouses, our children and grandchildren, our parents, our siblings, our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., but there are so many others.

This past weekend, our family had the opportunity to attend the Swim Across America event at Lake Lanier to support our favorite swimmers, Vicki and Caroline Bunke. We were mistaken to think that we were supporting these two and all the other swimmers there because these folks ended up teaching us the meaning of love and hope which has no finish line!

The crowd of people were there with so many different stories of why they swim, but so many were there to celebrate and honor a young lady who was Godly, Real, Amazing, Courageous and Exemplary. GRACE.

As we looked around and marveled at the things that bind these folks, the words of the song came back again, “people bring something we must learn, and we are led to those who help us most to grow”. That is certainly true for the Grace Bunke family. All of us have been changed for good because we knew her.

Randy and I were called to the ministry for his career, and because of that calling, we served six different United Methodist congregations. It is said that every church family has its own personality, gifts, graces, and faults alike. Although none of the churches were perfect, and we certainly were not, each group taught us something. Each congregation added to our lives, and we were changed for the better because we knew them.

We find that in every time of need or in every crisis we have faced over the years, people from these places are still there for us. After all these years, we know we are who we are today because we knew them.

There are so many teachers, professors, counselors, and countless others who have touched each of our lives. “Like a handprint on our heart or a seed dropped by a bird in a distant wood”, they changed us for good!

Along life’s way there are small groups of friends, small bible study groups, volunteer organizations, ministries, outreach organizations, and so many others who have changed our lives. It’s in the giving of ourselves that we receive.

Yesterday, our daughter in law, Susie, ran and finished a marathon in honor and memory of one of our dear friends, Paul King, who suffered with Parkinson’s. Others ran for other causes and organizations, but this one was special to our family and friends. Paul and his family were one of the first people who welcomed us in 1988 to Mt. Bethel. To his family, we would say, “so much of us is made up by what we learned from him.” We were changed for good because of his friendship and all of you.

There’s hardly a day that passes that there aren’t people who cross our path from whom we can learn and be changed for good. My prayer is that we would all take the time to appreciate those who come into our lives and change us for good!

Come to me all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (time out). Matthew 11:28

During this time of year, we tend to hear the words, time out a lot! Coaches with good game plans know the strategic times during a game to take time out so that they can assess the situation and strategize their next play! When a team calls for a time out, the clock stops and the game is paused. No playing happens during a time out.

Time outs come in life as well. Many of us have lived through illnesses of ourselves or those we love, diagnoses of diseases, Covid, job losses, money problems, relocation, retirement, and other stressful situations in life. It’s at this point we wish we could call time out and reassess our situation because we feel that things are spinning out of our control.

Five years ago this week, the lives of our family had a time out when we received a call early one morning that our Mama had died suddenly but painlessly. The clock stopped for all of us as we were forced to put aside our daily lives and deal with the grief that comes with losing a loved one.

Sometimes we have to be reminded that just because we are experiencing a time out, it doesn’t mean that the world stops. In fact, many times we see others going on with their lives as if nothing has happened. In all honesty, nothing has happened to them – it’s our time out.

As our family headed to the cemetery later that week with the cars in the processional, we came to the road where we would turn left across the busy highway. The patrolman leading our procession crossed over first, and as people realized it was a funeral, they began to stop and pull over to let us pass. At that moment, it struck me that it’s awfully special when we take the time in this life to stop, think about others, show respect, pray for them, and take a time out.

Jesus always stopped in his teaching and his ministry when people needed help. He took time out everywhere he went to show God’s love to others. Sometimes we are so busy saving the world in other ways that we ignore the times when a time out is needed for ourselves. Just like the Good Samaritan, we should be ready to stop for someone who’s hurting.

Last week a young man who was on the opposing team of our grandson’s team was hit and lay motionless on the football field. A time out is always called during an injury, but there are times when one knows that this not an ordinary instance. What do we do when a time out is not enough? When we need to do more? Surprisingly enough in this day and time, the teams huddled together and prayed. What a lesson for all of us! There are times when the only thing to which we can turn is prayer while we are in our time out.

The rests in a piece of music can be equated to time outs in life. There is no music during a rest or time out, but the rest is part of the making of the music. If we think of our lives as a melody, the music is separated here and there by rests, but the song has not ended. God brings a sudden pause or time out in the hymn of our lives, and we are wrong to complain when we have to be still and silent for a time.

God doesn’t write the music of our lives without a plan. The part we play is to learn the tune and not be discouraged when we have a rest or time out. Just as a musician counts the rests in a song and plays the next note with confidence, so we must remember the rest is part of the music just as time outs are part of life.

Don’t waste the time outs in life, rather learn from them.