7/14/14- Standing in the Breach

18Fire blazed among their followers;

a flame consumed the wicked.

19At Horeb they made a calf

and worshiped an idol cast from metal.

20They exchanged their glorious God

for an image of a bull, which eats grass.

21They forgot the God who saved them,

who had done great things in Egypt,

22miracles in the land of Ham

and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.

23So he said he would destroy them—

had not Moses, his chosen one,

stood in the breach before him

to keep his wrath from destroying them. (Psalm 106:18-23)

Thoughts:  Who will be the person who stands in the breach?  Moses could have said, "God make a new Israel out of me and destroy these sinners."  But Moses stood with his people, prayed for them, taught them truth, and God forgave, straightened them and healed them.
    Who will be the missionaries to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)?  Who will not forsake them because they have offended but will stand with them, living with them, being incarnate- as Jesus did with us?  Who will care about the 1.7 million souls?  The idea of leaving in a huff out of pride of being embarrassed by decisions, or fear that this will ruin our ministry, or fear of repercussions from a COM or presbytery goes against the missionary spirit.  Missionaries were willing to "come and die" in order to reach people for Christ.  We are all called to be missionaries where God has placed us first.  We have been put here for such a time as this.  We are called to risk for the sake of the Gospels and not to retreat from the front lines when there is a breach in the lines.  

Prayer: Help me to be someone who plugs in a hole in the dam.  Help me to be someone who stands for truth against a flood of misperception and misinterpretation.   Give me the strength of Moses to stand with the people with which you have providentially placed me.