Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Thursday, March 21, 2019

"And I [God] sought for a man among them, that should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none."¹

Today's Scripture was written by the prophet Ezekiel at a time when ancient Israel was in captivity because they had turned from God to worship idols. God was looking for someone who would stand in the gap to lead the people back to himâ€"but he found no one to do this. How tragically sad this was.

This Scripture reminds me of the lyrics of "Who Will Answer?" by Ed Ames written in 1968 during the Vietnam War. This chanting song had a tremendous impact on me the first time I heard it. I can still remember exactly where I was when I heard it and who sang it!

Back then it was a time of turmoil with many unanswered questions. Ed's lyrics were a cry from the human heart wanting answers. They spoke about people searching from the canyons of their mind, stumbling blindly while searching for the truth. They spoke about the emptiness of faded dreams from a failed marriage; of a youthful soldier whose arms would never hold his child because he was dying on a distant battlefield; of desperate souls committing suicide; and the ongoing threat of nuclear war with a desperate plea: "Dear God, Oh, why, oh, why? The final question being, "Who will answer?"²

Tragically, more and more, at least here in the U.S.A., like ancient Israel, we too are increasingly turning away from God which can readily lead to the path of self-destruction. Consequently, God is looking for committed people "who will answer" life's questions, and who will stand in the gap to point the way back to God. There are also millions of people worldwide for whom God is also looking for people to stand in the gap to point them to God.

The person/s God is looking for are simply those who make themselves available for him to use. So, will you, today, be one for whom God is looking and pray from the heart: "I am available God, please use me?"

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I hear your call for people to stand in the gap to bring lost souls to you. I am available. Please make me usable and use me to help bring others to you. I am willing to be made willing to go where you want me to go and to do what you want me to do. So help me God. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."


1. Ezekiel 22:30(ASV).
2. The lyrics of Ed Ames, "Who Will Answer?" can be seen at:
www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/e/ed_ames/who_will_answer.html.


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