Mind The Gap…

Perhaps I should title this blog Mind The Gap II because the phrase inspired amother blog of mine some years ago.

Somehow I came into a T shirt from "the tube", that is the London underground, known as the subway here in the States. It simply said Mind The Gap, meaning that one must look, pay attention to the gap between the rail cars and the platform lest one fell, got stuck and injured, perhaps even killed.

It's not a huge gap actually… but it doesn't take much carelessness for a small gap to reap large and at times quite un-intended consequences.

Like it or not- and believe me, at times it's not fun- I seem to spend a fair bit of my life warning people. It seems many need reminders (as do I!) that some gaps are good, various boundaries are really healthy and needed, while other gaps can truly trash your walk with Jesus Christ, stunt and even deeply damage your relationship to God and others.

Good gaps, right boundaries are important.

Taking thought about how you spend your time, what sort of prayer life, Bible study and quiet time with the Lord you have means doing some of it alone, just between yourself and the Lord. We all need such personal God-and-me one-on-one time. That means a gap between yourself and others, a right and proper gap.

We need gaps between us and those who would keep us from Jesus, from living out the Word of God in daily practice… which might mean moving away from long time friends whom we have given too much authority in our life. They want you to do dope or get drunk with them, or to spend countless hours watching a load of zero-redemptive immoral flicks… and what you really need is a healthy gap between yourself and them.

There are good gaps one must establish between one's old life and lifestyle where it comes into conflict and stumbles you rather than helps build you up, spiritually uplift and mature you in your new life in Christ.

There are good and needed gaps like these that are right to consider, build and maintain- even though there are crosses involved.

And then there are bad gaps, gaps between yourself and the Lord (what the Bible calls "sin" in both Testaments).

We need to do what we can to close such gaps, to close the distance between ourselves and our heavenly Father.

Prayer, study of the Bible- the Word of God- linking with those of His people who will speak truth in love to us, all of these can help narrow the gap between ourselves and Him.

If we don't take care we can build and even maintain gaps between ourselves and godly people whom we would be more comfortable avoiding because they bring us back to following Jesus in areas we would rather do whatever it is that pleases us -rather than Him!

Mind the gap. Yes, pay attention to relationships, both with God and others. There are excellent gaps and there are gaps that if left ignored, can cause a great deal of shipwreck in a believer's life.

Take care of yourself: mind the gap!

Thanks for stopping by! -Glenn