Standing in the Gap

It was the strangest thing ever! Our school lost two teachers in a very short time and for the same class. When the first teacher left, it looked unfavorable for the school, but most of our parents were longtime stakeholders who were very familiar with the school. We carefully chose a replacement we believed—from experience—would do the job well and redeem us from our past failure. It was not to be. Within a month, the newest teacher was removed from the classroom. So two months into the school year, we had a room full of confused children and some very perturbed parents. Embarrassed and bewildered, I felt the Spirit of God directing me into that classroom. My administrative team worried that teaching would add a heavy load to my already-full plate of managerial work at this large school. A few teachers, however, believed that my presence would silence the anger and soothe the hurt (at the time, I had not taught full-time in almost nine years). Yet the requests from the teachers confirmed what the Holy Spirit had already impressed me to do. My team and I obeyed. Later as we met with the parents, we apologized and shared our plans to a group of anxious faces and rigid bodies. We ended with smiling faces, relaxed postures, and thankful handshakes. The parents were relieved, they were behind me, and they trusted me.

Throughout that experience, I thought of the many people in the Bible who obeyed when they were called. Abraham. Moses. Joshua. Deborah. Samuel. Esther. And many more imperfect ones like me. Then I think of the only perfect one—Jesus—who left heaven when my soul was in darkness and when all humanity was set to perish. He died on the cross so that we all may live with joy and the hope of a better home. Sometimes we, too, are called to stand in the gap. It may be to speak for the silenced or to work for the weak. It may be to stand between children and danger. And evil. Or to hold the helpless. When God calls, He empowers, and we need to go.

My sisters, today, if you see the evidence, feel the impression, hear the calling, go. Defend the powerless. Cherish the rejected. Heal the hurting hearts. Your calling is uniquely yours, and no one else can fill your spot. Go. By the power of the mighty Spirit of God—go.

Rose Joseph Thomas