Watch the Gaps by M. J. Chapman

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 25, 1873

“Watch the Gaps.”

By M. J. Chapman

A GAP is “an opening in anything made by breaking or parting; an entrance, a passage.” Most children, of farmers especially, understand the meaning of the words in the above heading; for what child has not been instructed by its parents or guardians, at some time, to watch an entrance into a field to prevent cattle, or anything which might do mischief, from going into it while they were gone to secure their crops, expecting soon to return with a load through the gap thus made? Sometimes a number of playmates are left together to do this work, and it occasionally happens that they are so playful they forget the task assigned them, allowing some destructive creature to enter and accomplish a work of ruin before they are aware of it. They then understand the importance of watching. If they had watched, the mischief would have been avoided. Like the good man of the house, if they had watched, the thief would not have entered.

As I was examining my heart a few evenings since, I discovered gaps, or weak places, where the enemy sometimes gets the advantage, and while querying how I could best overcome him, these words came forcibly to my mind: “Watch the gaps.” My mind quickly reverted to my childhood days, when I sometimes engaged in this work with neighboring children. I felt that if it was important to watch then, how much more so in the work of overcoming sin.

There are many avenues, or entrances, to the heart, and we have an enemy that employs a large force in the work of seeking possession of that field. He stations his guards and pickets in every available place, while he himself plans the siege. He knows full well the meaning of the word, watch, and that his chance for accomplishing his purpose is small, save at times when his opponent is off his guard. He avails himself of every such opportunity, rushes in his forces, and does his work of destruction.

The power of the enemy is very great, and as he is always prowling around to find an unguarded gap, how necessary that we ascertain every place where he can possibly gain admittance, and secure it against his attacks. We certainly should not be less zealous than he, for he desires our eternal ruin; on the contrary, if we are successful in closing all these avenues against him, we shall be among the victors when the warfare is done.

We cannot conquer so powerful a foe in our own strength; but there is One stronger than he, who will help fight our battles if we place implicit confidence in him. Let us seek wisdom from this Source to aid us in discovering all these avenues, and then, instead of making them wider by yielding to temptation, in his strength let us cast impregnable bulwarks about them, thus defeating Satan in his efforts to wound us with his fiery darts.

“Take Jesus for thy trust; Watch while the foe is near; Gird well the armor on, Watch till thy Lord appear.”

M. J. CHAPMAN.

Battle Creek, Mich.