God’s Presence and Standing in the Gap
Today’s scripture is from 2 Timothy where Paul is talking about a man who stood in the gap with and for him during a very hard time in Paul’s life. Paul’s writing comes to us at a time when Paul was in prison in Rome and gives us a powerful description of how he was feeling. Prisons of the time were very harsh and cared for none of the prisoners’ most basic needs. Paul tells us he is in such a prison and is suffering and bound in chains as a criminal. Paul believed he would soon be executed by the Roman authorities and describes himself as totally alone and goes on to say he is being poured out as a drink offering and believing the time of his departure has come. This is a desperate time in Paul’s life. A time when all Paul preached, believed in , and lived for were under attack and when his very life was in the balance.
During the ancient times in which Paul writes, cities were surrounded by walls to protect them from the enemy. If the wall became breached people would literally place their bodies in the hole and would stand in the gap, fight the enemy and protect the city. They risked their lives to do so. Jesus stood in the gap between God the Father and us. He prayed and gave Himself as a sacrifice to save us. Jesus came to us and gave us His presence, and all His words to us assure us His presence will never leave us.
Let’s go now to 2 Timothy 1:15-18. “You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grand mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me – may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day! – and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.
Paul is telling us that all in Asia turned away from him, deserted him. But Paul tells us of one-man Onesiphorus who did not. He tells of one man that as Paul was under attack stood in the gap and risked his life to do so. During this time Nero ruled and was persecuting Christians. So, to profess Christianity, or associate with prominent Christians put oneself at risk of death. And here was Onesiphorus who not only did not deny Paul and did not deny Christianity but came to Rome and actively sought out Paul and was not ashamed or deterred by his chains. It is easy for our relationships to inconvenience us but when we stand in the gap with and for another, we are not deterred by the situation but as we show the love of Christ in our relationships we are lifted above circumstance. Paul tells us that Onesiphorus searched for him, came to him bringing Paul his presence, despite the sacrifice and personal danger. Paul also tells us that the presence of Onesiphorus refreshed him, meaning the presence of Onesiphorus gave Paul encouragement.
I read a powerful example of the power of presence in standing with someone in the gap. It was told by Nik Ripken while he was doing missionary work in Somalia bringing aid to people who lacked everything, food, clothing, shelter, medicines, and the ability to bury their dead. Nik tells a story of coming to a bent-over, shriveled up woman who he describes as looking ancient but must have only been in her forties. He asked her what she needed most, food, clothing, medicine, and her answer was to share her story with him. She told him of the town she grew up in, and how she married a camel herder and what a good man he was. Together they had four children and a good life. But then the war came and men came stealing what they had and killing all their livestock. Her husband tried to protect his family, but they put a gun to his head, beat him and killed him. She had no means to care for her children. Her oldest son became sick and soon died. She took her three remaining children and began walking towards the city, hoping it might be better. but men in the militia raped and beat her and then took her two oldest daughters. She had her youngest child left with her and no way to provide, and is alone in the city, a city filled with men with guns.
The woman who had lost everything and needed everything, most needed someone to stand with her and hear her story. In doing this Nik says he learned the power of human presence. As he stood in the gap with this woman, and listened to her story, giving her no more than his presence, and the knowing that she was important enough to be heard, to be listened to and in doing so he ultimately gave her a piece of her humanity back. God tells us throughout scripture, if they call to me, I will hear them. Onesiphorus gave Paul his presence as he stood with him and heard him. Paul tells us this encouraged him. Nik gave this woman his presence and heard her story. Christ comes to us and gives us His presence and hears us when we call to Him.
Sometimes like the ancient cities our walls of protection can be breached by circumstance, fear, doubt, anger, lonliness and the evil in this world. These can be the times that the protection and love of God that surrounds us may feel distant or at times gone from us. We need the presence of others standing in the gap to share God’s word with us, to listen to our stories, to share our vulnerabilities, and let us know we matter, and in so doing we restore a piece of their humanity. As we stand in the gap with others we give them a transforming moment, we give to them what Christ gave to us, His presence. His sacrifice, His care and His promise to always hear us and sometimes He does that through each of us as we stand in the gap with another.
None of us are meant to walk this life alone, and it is the love of Christ within us that enables us to be the kind of person, the kind of friend to others that is willing to risk, sacrifice, encourage, seek out, listen to be with and stand in the gap.
Who in your life needs you to be Onesiphorus with them today?
