If you notice in this verse it says "a" man. This verse is referring to Israel but God was looking for just one man (a man) among them. That one man would have been all it took for God NOT to destroy the land. Much like Sodom in Abraham's day, when God would have spared for just 10 righteous. This verse in Ezekiel shows God's mercy for He was only looking for one!
What was He looking for that one to do? First, to make up the hedge. A hedge is any protective barrier around a person or city or country. This may be physical or spiritual. God was looking for a man that would protect the land from the evil influence that He had commanded against. He wanted a man that would not allow Israel to go astray in worship. As Christian parents we should be that protective hedge for our children, both physically to protect as much as possible from harm, but also from evil influence that would lead them astray from God's Word. As Christian men and women, we should also make up a hedge around those we have contact with. We should do our best to protect them by teaching what God's Word says so that they may be able to fight off the influence of the world. I pray often for God to put a protective hedge around my family.
Second, to stand in the gap before Him for the land. This is done in a couple of ways. The most important way is by prayer. Praying for our nation and those who lead and run it is extremely important. I pray daily for this country and for godly leaders to be put in place and for wisdom for those leading. I also pray for protection from those who seek to destroy it from within and from without. Make no mistake, there are many inside this nation who want to destroy it! Another way to stand in the gap is to stand firmly on the Word of God. When society tries to make the Bible obsolete or make laws that go against God's commands, we are to "obey God rather than man".
This verse is so sad for it ends with "but I found none". God found not one man to do the things He was looking for. I believe right now in the USA that there are still more than one making the hedge and standing in the gap. I pray often for God to remember the remnant here that still love and serve Him and not to destroy the righteous with the wicked. I am pretty sure that God will someday just allow this country to self destruct. I pray it isn't until after the rapture.
Will you be the one? Will you do your best to make up the hedge and stand in the gap before Him? Pray. Pray for strength to be the one. Pray for your family, your friends, your town, your county, your school, your church and your country. Take a stand on God's Word. Do not allow society to sway you from obedience to God.
Just want to share some thoughts about getting older. I recently turned 52. It seems I've had a downward spiral in health since hitting that half century mark. If you are a regular reader, you know I was diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroid Disease about a year ago. This past spring we found out that my normal body temp was 97.5* which explains why I was cold so much. That has been fixed with low dose natural thyroid meds. Now, I'm hot all the time! Plus, that getting older and gaining weight thing doesn't help. I have struggled with joint pain since age 18 due to the trauma of my car/train accident but the older I get, the worse it gets.
Four days ago I had a partial hysterectomy because of multiple uterine fibroids. Surprisingly, I have had little pain. I'm tender and slow moving but not having to live on pain killers. Easiest surgery I've ever had as far as pain goes. What is my surgery count? Let's see... tonsillectomy 1984, surgery to put steel nail in right femur (thigh bone) 1985, surgery to remove nail 1990, laparoscopy to unblock Fallopian tubes 1990 (they ended up not being blocked when they got in there!) C-section 1991, tuba ligation 1993, uterine balloon oblation 2000 (not a real surgery but I was knocked out for procedure and was pretty sore after), appendectomy 2002, hysterectomy 2018. That's nine surgeries! At least they were spread out over the years! :) This may be too much info for some of you but oh well. My life is often an open book. Hoping the last one helps with many symptoms.
A friend of ours who is older than us, once told us that "getting old ain't for sissies!" He sure was right! Some days you just want to stop dealing with it and are ready for the Lord to come. Watching your body stop working the way it once did is hard some days. But, I am thankful it's not worse. I know many, many people suffer and deal with more health issues than I do.
One of the hardest things to deal with being so stiff and achy and not being as strong as I used to be, is not being able to play with my grandkids as I would like. I just can't have them jumping on me or get on the floor as easily as I used to. It hurts! Sometimes I have trouble picking them up because of joint pain. I find ways to enjoy them anyway though.
I reckon the point of this post is that even though my body is slowly deteriorating, I'm still glad to be above ground. I'm glad I'm still here on earth to enjoy the things God has provided. Also, if you are young, do the things necessary to keep your body more agile and healthy. No matter what you do, you will not live forever on this earth (you can have eternal life in heaven though, if you accept what Jesus did on the cross) but you can keep yourself strong, agile, and healthy longer, if you try. It's much easier to maintain than to fix and rebuild as I am having to do. I had no example to follow of maintaining good health as I grew up or in my young adulthood. When we know better we can strive to do better! Don't assume your young body will hold out into old age without routine maintenance because it won't! Do what's necessary NOW! Make changes where you need to and ward off old age ailments as long as you can. Keep the above meme in mind as you grow older. There is only one classic you!
