Stand in the Gap
By Bruce Cannon
Mitchell County
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. (Ezekiel 22:30)
The above verse, indeed, is one of the saddest in the Bible! The date for this would be around 587-585B.C. God had just allowed the nation of Babylon to attack the kingdom of Judah, take the people into captivity, tear down the temple built by Solomon and tear down much of the walls of the city. For the third time Babylon came, over the course of approximately twenty years, to take the strong, wise and able-bodied people of Judah back to their land and make them slaves.
What precipitated this? The Jewish nation had turned its back on God. Other gods were being worshipped by the Jewish people and God will never allow that. He is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14) and will never share reverence and worship due only unto Him with any other deity, person or object.
Today, the United States has many gods worshipped within her borders. The major ones include our God, the god of Islam, Buddha, Hinduism (which by itself has an estimated 33 million gods) Unitarian Universalism (which states that truth is unique to each individual and that truth is found deep within one’s soul) and others.
In his book, Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville states: “I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers—and it was not there. . .. in her fertile fields and boundless forests—and it was not there. . .. .in her rich mines and her vast world commerce—and it was not there. . .. in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution—and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.”
It has always been the hand of God that made America great. He is the One who planted into the mind of man the many marvels of medicine, mechanization and so forth. It was Him who blessed the crops, aided our government and protected our borders. And yet, how little He is sought today.
I am genuinely concerned about the future of America should she not turn back to her Creator. As we celebrate another birthday of our nation, let us pray that our leaders—national, state and local—can and will turn their hearts back to God. Pray that they will seek His face as decisions are made, lead our nation as Lincoln to a time of repentance for the many sins so prevalent in our society today. Let us claim 2 Chronicles 7:14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land, by putting into practice the prescription contained therein for God’s blessings.
Would our borders be more secure if we practiced this verse of Scripture? Our children be safer? Our Churches be revived and see many come to a saving knowledge of Christ? Would crime be much less? The answer to these and many more questions just like them is a resounding, YES.
Pray with me as we celebrate the 4th that America will turn back to the God of her fathers and that we will see “God Bless America” again. Have a blessed 4
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Reverend Bruce Cannon recently retired as the Senior Pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church in Bakersville. Formerly he served as Director of Missions for the Bladen Baptist Association and he has served on the General Board of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
You can read more Good Christian News from Pastor Cannon HERE.
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