Ezekiel 22.30 records, I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.

God is watching us. God is watching us to see who is working for Him and with Him to see His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the case of Israel, God looked for a man who was praying for mercy on behalf of the people and warning the people about the consequences of their disobedience in order to move increasingly more people toward obedience to God.

This work, God said, would have delayed or even thwarted His plan for punishing Jerusalem but alas, no one was found to be working on this project resulting in Jerusalem’s destruction.

Many Christians today are hoping for Jesus to end this world soon and remove the misery so many feel. It is easier to hope and pray but not engage God’s work than it is to be about the business of building God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Repairing the wall, or discipling broken men and women, is hard work that takes a long time to accomplish without ever reaching perfection.

Standing in the gap, praying for people to repent while giving, serving and sharing Jesus with people is hard work often resulting in persecution. A work increasingly fewer Christians are engaging.

If Jesus returns tomorrow how does He win? Is God in a hurry to get us to heaven and thus relieve our misery (much of which is self-inflicted)? Those who are truly in Christ will be with God forever whether in heaven or upon the new earth. He already has His now adopted children.

God wants His banquet hall full. By His choice, upon His return the production of more people ends. Why would God want to stop the flow of people to live with Him forever? Rather than acquiesce to our slovenly efforts at obeying God’s work to seek and save the lost hoping He will return soon. Perhaps we should put our hand to the plow and stop looking back, so that we can effectively labor in the fields ripe for harvest.

Wouldn’t it be better to get to heaven and hear God say, ‘well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of your Master’ because we made disciples teaching people everywhere to obey Jesus’ commands?

What is the alternative message for those who fail to follow Jesus into the fields seeking and saving the lost? Could it be, ‘depart from Me, I never knew you?’