Yesterday I read a devotional by Proverbs 31, it was titled Someone to Lean On. I thought of it again today because one of the verses I read in my Bible was Nehemiah 9:17:
But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
The devotional I read was presenting a challenge, do I choose to be a bystander, or a gap- stander? A bystander watches but does not get too involved.
A gap-stander, has deep empathy and learns through that empathy to take action. A gap-stander allows God to use her and the faith she has so that the person in battle can lean on her, for however long it takes. And, because God's strength, compassion, love, and empathy fills in the gap, there will be victory. God calls warriors to stand in the gap.
I have warriors standing in the gap for me. Because God has given me this gift, I am able to stand in the gap for others. The image this creates in my mind is a long bridge of grace and compassion, abounding in love, with raging waters below. But, I want to have hope and faith that we, all of us standing in the gap, will not let go.
As I stand in the gap for others I pray that the power of His Spirit will bring love and compassion, mercy and patience, unconditional grace and kindness, just, fair, and impartial, to those that are leaning on me. This is His character and He resides in me. Jesus mold Yourself into the crevices of my heart and soul, so that when I stand in the gap, I am standing like You!
Say That Again, Jesus, my God, You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
The devotional I read was presenting a challenge, do I choose to be a bystander, or a gap- stander? A bystander watches but does not get too involved.
A gap-stander, has deep empathy and learns through that empathy to take action. A gap-stander allows God to use her and the faith she has so that the person in battle can lean on her, for however long it takes. And, because God's strength, compassion, love, and empathy fills in the gap, there will be victory. God calls warriors to stand in the gap.
I have warriors standing in the gap for me. Because God has given me this gift, I am able to stand in the gap for others. The image this creates in my mind is a long bridge of grace and compassion, abounding in love, with raging waters below. But, I want to have hope and faith that we, all of us standing in the gap, will not let go.
As I stand in the gap for others I pray that the power of His Spirit will bring love and compassion, mercy and patience, unconditional grace and kindness, just, fair, and impartial, to those that are leaning on me. This is His character and He resides in me. Jesus mold Yourself into the crevices of my heart and soul, so that when I stand in the gap, I am standing like You!
Say That Again, Jesus, my God, You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
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Ramblings of a Southern Belle
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