"STANDING IN THE GAP
'Thou mighty man of valor.' Judges 6:12
The Lord has always said, 'I'm looking for men.' Men who know their strength doesn't lie in macho looks of the world, but is established by a willingness to acknowledge their weakness without Him. II Corinthians 12:9 says that His (the Lord's) strength is seen and made perfect by our weakness. To Ezekiel the Lord said, 'I'm looking for a man to stand in the gap.' God has always looked for men who would withstand the flow of sin and evil that will erode away the very things we hold dear.
'I will look for a man...' and the search for men continues. Like the old Dutch tale, He's looking for someone who will put their finger in the dike. For some of us it might mean becoming professionals at learning to handle sandbags; for others it might mean strengthening our fingers for when there is a leak in the dike... He'll say, 'Poke it in there.' The point is, it's no small risk. God is looking for men who will take a stand even at the risk of their own reputation and personal safety, so that others may be spared.
This is Father's Day and I'm glad the Lord has never given up on us and still, this day, seeks men. Men of the kingdom. Blessing comes in the life of a man when he realizes there will never be a move of God without a man of God moved by God. The Lord is still looking for men...
1. Men who will be willing to humble themselves and call Him 'Lord.'
2. Men who will risk their own image so His may be seen through them.
3. Men who know masculinity isn't found in being a 'stud,' but a saint.
4. Men who can pursue with zeal their earthly calling and yet not lose sight of their Heavenly calling.
5. Men who will be a husband and know it means more than just being a male.
6. Men who can love and care for a woman as Jesus did; be a strength and yet free of lust.
7. Men available to the lordship of Jesus, knowing full well it means being different and peculiar.
Let Gideon be a model dike-stopper. When the Lord says, 'Fill in that hole,' and you're feeling inadequate... say 'Well, Lord, here I am, open and available. Do what You can with me.'
A finger in the dike,
Ron Mehl"