Standing in gap during COVID-19 crisis

               STANDING IN THE GAP FOR COVID – 19 CRISIS

More and more people are being tested positive for COVID-19 around the world. The situation is turning gloomier each day. Hopelessness, mourning, isolation and desperation are the condition in most of our homes. Is there something that we can do as the children of God during this crisis? We might not be a medical personnel standing in the frontline nor a volunteer trying to manage the situation efficiently.

But more powerful and efficient thing that we can do now, just being in the lockdown, right there in your closet, something that can shake the very heart of GOD is to PRAY. We are called to stand in the gap and cry out to GOD that this pandemic will pass away.

The word of God says,

2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV)

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.

Let us meditate on HOW DAVID MOVED THE HEART OF GOD and stopped the pestilence during his time. 2Samuel 24.

David repented of his sin:

In this chapter, we can see David committing a sin against God. This sin kindled God’s anger that a pestilence was allowed in the midst of Israel. 70,000 men died because of the pestilence and David cried out to God repenting of his sin.

The first step to standing in the gap for the sake of our people is REPENTANCE. When we the people who are called by God`s name humble ourselves and pray, seeking God’s face diligently and turn from our wicked ways God will forgive our sin and HEAL OUR LAND as in 2 Chronicles 7:14.

David built an Altar:

2 Samuel 24:25 King James Version (KJV)

²⁵ And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

Altar is a place of complete surrender. Altar is a place of sacrifices of praise. Altar is the place of divine exchanges. Building an altar will cost us something. But are we willing to pay the price? Are we willing to surrender our lives, our thoughts, our wants and needs on the altar, that God may be glorified in us? Building an altar simply means, acknowledging and letting God be the LORD of our lives and our situations. David built an altar for the Lord. The pestilence stayed from Israel.

Let us build and repair our altars too.

STANDING IN THE GAP:

Now this is going to demand more strength from us. David took responsibility for his people and stood in the gap. David pleaded that God will not show his judgment towards the innocent.

2 Samuel 24:17 King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house.

In a similar fashion, Esther stood in the Gap for her people.

Esther 7:3 King James Version (KJV)

³ Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:

Moses stood in the GAP between God and the Israelites that they will not be utterly destroyed.

Numbers 11:2 King James Version (KJV)

² And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched.

If we stand in the gap for people, this fire of COVID-19 will be quenched too. All we need to do is to humble our self, repent, build altars and stand in the gap. If God’s word in 

2 Chronicles 7:14 is true, he will heal our land too. To God alone be the glory. Amen.