Will You Stand in the Gap?

This morning, I opened my Bible to Ezekiel 22.

If I'm honest, it isn't a chapter I would normally choose for a children's lesson. It speaks of people making poor choices, hurting one another, and forgetting God's ways. But I wanted to hear what the Holy Spirit was saying.

As I read, one verse seemed to shine brighter than the rest:

“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap...”
Ezekiel 22:30 (NIV)

I couldn't move past those words.

Stand in the gap.

What does that mean?

Imagine there is a hole in a fence, and little lambs could wander through and get hurt. Someone notices the danger and stands there until the fence can be repaired.

They don't stand there because they're stronger than everyone else. They stand there because they care.

That is what God was looking for.

Not perfect people.

Not famous people.

Not people who knew all the answers.

Just someone with a heart willing to say, “Lord, here I am. Use me.”

As Parents, We Stand in the Gap

As parents, we stand in the gap more often than we realize.

Every time we pray over our children before school...

Every time we teach them to tell the truth, even when it's hard...

Every time we choose forgiveness instead of bitterness...

Every time we remind them who they are in Christ...

We are standing in the gap.

Those ordinary moments become holy moments.

Children Can Stand in the Gap Too

Children can stand in the gap too.

Sometimes it looks like inviting the child who's sitting alone at lunch to come play.

Sometimes it means refusing to laugh when someone is being teased.

Sometimes it's telling the truth after making a mistake.

Sometimes it's helping a younger sibling without being asked.

Sometimes it's praying for a friend whose family is hurting.

Sometimes it's simply noticing someone everyone else has overlooked.

Standing in the gap doesn't always require doing something big.

Most of the time, it looks beautifully ordinary.

I wonder if every morning we asked one simple question as a family:

“Jesus, who can we stand in the gap for today?”

Imagine how that could change our homes.

Imagine our children leaving for school looking for someone to encourage instead of waiting to be encouraged.

Imagine families praying together for a neighbor who is sick.

Imagine brothers and sisters choosing peace instead of winning an argument.

Imagine children learning that courage isn't about being the loudest person in the room—it's about choosing love when it's easier to walk away.

As I read Ezekiel 22, I don't hear God asking, “Who is perfect?”

I hear Him asking:

“Who will notice? Who will care? Who will protect what is good? Who will reflect My heart?”

What a beautiful calling for all of us.

A Brave Family Challenge

This week, write one name on a sticky note and place it on your refrigerator.

Ask together:

“Who are we standing in the gap for this week?”

Then pray for that person every day.

Look for one practical way to encourage them. It might be a phone call, a handwritten note, an invitation to dinner, a kind text, or simply taking time to listen.

At the end of the week, gather together and ask:

“How did we see God work?”

Little acts of obedience often become the biggest stories of God's faithfulness.

Purdee's Perspective 🐧

“Wowzers, Brave Ones! You don't need a superhero cape to stand in the gap! Sometimes all you need is a kind smile, helping hands, listening ears, and a heart that says, ‘Jesus, use me!’ Every time you choose kindness, pray for someone, forgive quickly, or help a friend who's lonely, you're showing people what God's love looks like. Woot! Woot!”

My Prayer This Month

My prayer this month is simple.

May our homes become places where children learn that following Jesus isn't just about knowing Bible stories.

It's about living them.

May we raise brave families who notice the lonely, encourage the discouraged, pray for the hurting, speak the truth with love, and faithfully stand in the gap—one ordinary act of obedience at a time.

With love,

Julie Small
Author & Illustrator, Polly's Brave Adventures