The story of this mighty man of God starts in Judges 6; the nation of Israel is enjoying a time of relative ease. Maybe you know the sort of thing, you’re paying the bills, the children are behaving and the business is doing well? All in all, everything is looking good? As can happen with us in these situations, Israel forgets God. They become self-sufficient, they no longer need God.
So, God shakes things up a bit. He sends an army against them to show how tough life can be without Him. The people cry out…..enter Gideon.
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Idea 1: “Why has all this happened to us and what can I do?” Gideon questions God about the problems he and his nation faced and about God’s apparent lack of help. His conclusion is that God has abandoned His people. He fails to acknowledge the fact that the people brought it upon themselves by their disobedience. What’s more, Gideon fails to see how he can be the solution. He puts up a load of excuses as to why he’s not the man for the job, but God sees much more in Gideon than Gideon sees in himself.
- Do you see yourself as God does?
- Are you willing and able to be a part of God’s ‘recovery plan’?
- Are you ready to make God’s priorities the most important things in your life?
Idea 2: Putting our house in order How often do we encounter tradesmen: builders, plumbers, electricians who live in half built houses, with dripping taps and dodgy wiring? Or the healthcare professional, who consistently ignores his own advice?
Before Gideon can get to work there’s some significant stuff he needs to deal with. His family are breaking the first and second commandments, with idols of Baal on their property. Gideon uses his father’s prized bull to tear down the idols, then uses the wood from the idols to burn the bull as a sacrifice. We can only imagine how unpopular that made him! The point is, he needed to be magnified in his own house before God could use Gideon mightily.
- Are you holding onto stuff?
- Are there things in your life, in your home, that need to go so that God can move in power in your life?
- How might dealing with this stuff stir things up?
Idea 3: Dealing with the doubt Our culture is keen on the idea of questioning everything, including whatever it is you’re currently trusting in. The process of examining your beliefs can be very unsettling. On the other hand, it can force you to refine your assumptions and beliefs in order to make sure you know where they are pointed and why.
Even after his encounter with God, his obedience in sorting his house out and the Holy Spirit empowering him, Gideon still struggled with doubt. He knew that God had promised to save Israel through him, but was looking in the mirror and not feeling convinced by the reflection he saw.
- Do you ever find yourself asking God for more ‘proof’?
- Talking and praying through your doubts with others is a first step to a deeper understanding Why not get together soon to start the process?
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When we find ourselves going through tough stuff it’s easy to feel we are out of God’s favour. How about seeing those times as God’s gift of grace? C S Lewis said this; “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It’s His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
God uses tough times to get our attention. Is He getting your attention today?