WHAT AN EFFECTIVE DAD DOES - VOL II ISSUE 1

What a Dad Does

I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. (Ezekiel 22:30 NASB)

Have you ever thought about the fact that God is searching? Searching for men, Jesus says, “I will make you fishers of (searchers for) men” just like Himself.  God told King Asa through Hanani the seer, "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars." (2 Chronicles 16:9 NASB). He is still searching for men today.  Here in Ezekiel as well as in 2 Chronicles, He didn't find one man.  So he completely destroyed the Kingdom of Israel according to the Scriptures.  (“Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord God." Ezekiel 22:31 ESV)

Will that be the case today?  Are you willing to put your interests, hobbies, will, desires, hang ups, feelings of inferiority, pride, pleasures and freedoms aside to" stand in the gap" and "build up the wall" for your children (natural and spiritual)?

Have you ever thought about this being part of your job description from God?  Do you know the gaps in your wall?  Get a clue….they are your weaknesses!  They are the sin patterns and propensities passed down from your forefathers according to Ex 20:4-6.

What does standing in the gap mean?  Maybe this excerpt from DL Moody's life will help....”It was during this first visit to Britain that Moody heard the words which set him hungering and thirsting after a deeper Christian experience and which marked a new era in his life. The words were spoken to him by Mr. Henry Varley, the well-known evangelist, as they sat together on a seat in a public park in Dublin. The words were these: "The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully consecrated to Him." "He said 'a man'" thought Moody, "he did not say, a great man, nor a learned man, nor a 'smart' man, but simply 'a man.' I am a man, and it lies with the man himself whether he will or will not make that entire and full consecration. I will try my utmost to be that man." The words kept ringing in his mind, and burning their way into his soul until finally he was led into the deeper, richer, fuller experience for which his soul yearned. The impression the words made was deepened soon afterward by words spoken by Mr. Bewley, of Dublin, Ireland, to whom he was introduced by a friend. "Is this young man all O and O?" asked Mr. Bewley. "What do you mean by 'O and O'?" said the friend. "Is he out and out for Christ?" was the reply. From that time forward Moody's desire to be "O and O" for Christ was supreme.  (Moody biography reference)

Can you define your land?  Do you know your jurisdiction?  Your assignment from God?   Up until early in the twentieth century walls were the principle defense for any city or kingdom.   The Bible and world history are replete with examples of walls or fortifications....and their weaknesses.  “The Great Wall of China is the most monumental barrier ever created in the ancient world. It is easily the most popular image we associate with the ancient Chinese Empire itself, but it has become so mythologized by in our imagination that we don’t realize it was actually the most extreme cultural barrier ever created. Its sole purpose was to separate two groups of people, those who were civilized, and those who were not.  In some estimates they say two to three million people were killed, and the construction went on in the initial part of the wall for over 14 years, starting in 220 BC. The Great Wall was not just a single barrier, but a chain of defenses, towers and huge expanses of 5 meter tall walls. This could not have been undertaken without a huge amount of resources and planning, not to mention organization on a scale probably never replicated since.” (Emphasis mine Great Wall reference)

Today, there are still walls around what we want to protect, except they are mostly virtual.  What is it going to take to build up your wall...the protection, security, defense and line of demarcation for those in your charge?

But you say, we're under grace, not the law...Well I can recite you a long list of wives and children on this side of the cross, whom I have known personally, who have been destroyed because DAD didn't "stand in the gap". You probably can as well.  Problem is that dad gave in or gave up or didn't build up the wall.... that dad was a libertarian with his kids (Free Dictionary synonyms - liberal, radical, progressive, humanitarian, reformist, permissive, humanistic and broad-minded).  He wasn't the spiritual leader. I don’t mean tyrant….I mean loving leader who is willing to lay down everything for those in his charge. 

Dad, will you "stand in the gap" for your children to prevent their destruction?  Will you "build up the wall"?

I’m wagering that most of you reading this will say, "Yes" but what does that mean?  Can you define it for yourself?  Some of you would like a clearly defined list of “what to do” at this point but if I were to make a list here of what I think it means, it would just become "law" to you…..it would only help put you in “performance mode”.  It wouldn’t be vital relationship with the Creator.....the Bible says, "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12 NASB) and “The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.” (Romans 14:22 NASB).   You have to seek God for yourself.  There is no formula or specific set of rules....get all the wisdom you can from Scripture as well as older wiser men of God and be that dad who fulfills Ezekiel 22:30 before it’s too late.

I especially like The Message’s rendering of our passage, "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 so I wouldn't have to destroy it. I couldn't find anyone. Not one. (Ezekiel 22:30 MSG)  What about you, Dad?

THIS IS WHAT AN EFFECTIVE DAD DOES!