A Daily Devotion for Thursday, April 30
- ontrakk
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
Ezekiel 22:23-30
Again the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has not been cleansed or rained on in the day of wrath.’ There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain. Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says’—when the LORD has not spoken. The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner, denying them justice.
“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”
We must be vigilant and not allow false prophets or unjust leaders to show us a false way. In today’s world, many of our “leaders” and even our sources of news can be suspect, and lead us to believe things that may not even be happening. Somehow we need to stay in the middle, “in the gap” and there is where we will find God. He wants people in the gap between the conflict, sin and untruths, and HIM. This is where God’s work can be done.
IN THE GAP.
Holy Lord, thank you for this reminder today. My place is in the gap, with you. Apart from the sin and chaos, but alongside you. May I find ways today to show your love and kindness to all I meet. Amen
Becky, transforming
Ezekiel 22:23-30
This passage reminds me of what is happening in our society today, people just being really bad. The gap is real and it is big! Can I make a difference? It seems so overwhelming…but yes, I can. I can help fill the gap with prayer, by living a life pleasing to God to set an example, and by having the courage to share The Truth. There are so many who are vulnerable and need The Truth and I must do my part.
Dear God, please forgive me for the times I have been silent when I had the opportunity to share Your Truth. Please give me the courage to stand in the gap. Amen
Thursday, April 30th, 2026
In the gap
(Focus those who need courage
Today’s Reading… Ezekiel 22:23-30
Ezekiel 22:30
And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
Standing in the gap before God is as urgent today as it was centuries ago. God's wrath was ready to fall on Jerusalem due to the sins of its leaders priests and people. Understanding this verse is learning to find someone to stand before God in place of a wicked generation, much like Abraham or Moses, to bring healing rather than destruction. We are to provide a direct link…
Ezekiel 22:23-30 In the Gap
When God caused that hollyhock seed to grow in such a precasious spot, did he know the difference that flower would make or was it a test to see that would happen? Well, wonderful things happened. Many people stepped in with small kinds of care. Some watered, bicycles avoided that curb, people walked around it and even the garbage truck pulled out around it. Like the hollyhock, God wants us to make a difference. Can we be nurturers to nature, can we protect the vulnerable, can we speak up against that which is not right? We can make a difference in small wys that might lead to big beautiful things happening.
Prayer: Gracious God, I…
Ezekiel 22:23-30
The Upper Room illustration this morning about the hollyhock was a perfect illustration of the power of one. Its mere presence changed the behavior of many people who encountered it. Similarly, even one person whose stands for and does as the Holy Spirit leads can make a difference in the lives around them. Only God can act on a grand, worldwide, history-making scale, but winning one heart at a time is within the grasp of anyone willing to stand in the gap for Christ. It is, in fact, what we are called to do as believers.
Prayer - Here I am, Lord. Send me. Let me be an ambassador for the Son, led by the Spirit, to glorify You.…