lenten journey, day 16 —a prayer for the next generation

“Mind The Gap!” If you’ve ever ridden the Tube in London, you’ve heard this message blaring over loudspeakers and seen it painted and posted everywhere. It’s a warning—a warning that, if unheeded, might lead to dire consequences. (If you’re wondering how dire, you may wish to google the phrase “severed limbs.”)

At the heart of the warning to mind the gap is an admission that the man-made subway system is flawed. Speeding trains and soft, squishy human bodies don’t mix. One misstep into the gap between the platform and the rails, and a train alters your history.

Now imagine that the speeding train is life and the soft, squishy bodies at risk of being, um, squished, are a bunch of oblivious, carefree teens. Oh no! Mind the gap! Well, obviously they’re not going to mind anything. They’re invincible (and possibly brain dead). That’s where we come in. We must step up and mind the gap for them through intercession, discipleship, and love.

Why should we—no, why must we—pray and invest in their lives? Consider Psalm 78:6-7 (from The Message):

“…So the next generation would know,
and all the generations to come—
Know the truth and tell the stories
so their children can trust in God,
Never forget the works of God
but keep his commands to the letter.”

And if the potential to impact “all the generations to come” isn’t enough to drive you to your knees on behalf of the teenagers in your life, check out this heart-breaking video from battlecry.com.

Ninety percent of those who come to Christ will do so before they are age 20. Do we feel the holy urgency? Will we mind the gap?

Oh God. This truly is a war for the hearts and minds of the next generation. Give us the strength to lift up a mighty battle cry on their behalf. As we fight for this hurting generation on our knees, would you hear us from heaven? Would you intervene and stop the speeding train that is about to alter the history of our young people? Would you send revival and healing and rescue to those who are being bombarded unceasingly by the enemy? May the name of Jesus be lifted high in this and all future generations. And may I be available to do whatever it takes to mind the gap. Yes, and amen.

“I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land…” — Ezekiel 22:30

“His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.” — Luke 1:50