His name means: "Hewer, Slasher, Hacker"
His work: A farmer called to bring Israel back to
the Lord (a task in which he partially succeeded) and to deliver God's
people from their Midianite oppressors.
His character: A fearful man, living in a time when
Israel had plenty to fear, Gideon questioned the Lord, demanding signs
that would reassure him of God's faithfulness. Even though he was a
reluctant warrior, he won a brilliant military victory and became one of
Israel's greatest judges.
His triumph: That God's vision for his life turned out to be far greater than his own.
Key Scriptures: Judges 6-8
A Look at the Man
Gideon's story reminds us of the story of another man, centuries
earlier, who also felt inadequate for the role God assigned him. His
name was Moses, a man who had been hiding out just as Gideon had when
God called him. Both Gideon and Moses made excuses, plausible-sounding
ones to us though not to God. To both men God simply said, "I am sending
you."
When Gideon pleaded that his clan was the weakest in Israel and he
the least of his family, he was unwittingly expressing his
qualifications for the job. God wasn't looking for a born leader, a man
who would be great in the eyes of his own people. He wasn't searching
for a self-reliant man who would take credit for every victory. He
needed someone whose weakness he could use, a man whose apparent
unsuitability would eventually convince his people that their God was
still with them, still powerful, still loving.
It's interesting that God called Gideon a mighty warrior precisely at
the moment when such a description was hardest to believe. How could
Gideon comprehend it when his own idea of himself was so contrary to
God's idea? Because of the Lord's remarkable patience, Gideon was
eventually able to overcome his doubts and become the man God intended
him to be. By believing in God, he lived out his life, not as a timid
man, but as a warrior who had won a brilliant victory.
Many of us are like Moses and Gideon were at the moment God first
called them. We are hiding out, living our own lives, reluctant to alter
the status quo, unable to believe we are capable of any kind of
greatness. But God describes his plan for our lives, not in our terms,
but in his. And that's how it should be, because he's the only one who
knows who we really are and what his power can do within us. If we want
to experience God shaping our lives and using us—in our families, our
churches, and our communities—we will have to set aside our own vision
for ourselves in order to embrace his. Anyone who does that will one day
look back, not with regret, but with gratitude, amazed at the great
things God has done in a life yielded to him.
Reflect On: Judges 6:36–40
Praise God: For his patience.
Offer Thanks: For the guidance God gives.
Confess: Any doubts you may have about God's desire to guide you.
Ask God: To help you use "the strength you have" as you seek to do his will.
Today's reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture
by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann
Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete
book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book's title must be included when sharing the above content on social media. Coming this fall: watch for Wicked Women of the Bible by Ann Spangler.
No comments:
Post a Comment