Gideon Responds to God's Call

Creation: A Divine Cycle
The Savior Has Been born

The Affirmation of the Promise

Judges 6:12-18  The Message

^11-12 One day the angel of God came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, whose son Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress, out of sight of the Midianites. The angel of God appeared to him and said, “God is with you, O mighty warrior!”
¹³ Gideon replied, “With me, my master? If God is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all the miracle-wonders our parents and grandparents told us about, telling us, ‘Didn’t God deliver us from Egypt?’ The fact is, God has nothing to do with us—he has turned us over to Midian.”
¹⁴ But God faced him directly: “Go in this strength that is yours. Save Israel from Midian. Haven’t I just sent you?”
¹⁵ Gideon said to him, “Me, my master? How and with what could I ever save Israel? Look at me. My clan’s the weakest in Manasseh and I’m the runt of the litter.”
¹⁶ God said to him, “I’ll be with you. Believe me, you’ll defeat Midian as one man.”
^17-18 Gideon said, “If you’re serious about this, do me a favor: Give me a sign to back up what you’re telling me. Don’t leave until I come back and bring you my gift.”
He said, “I’ll wait till you get back.”

For Reflection

God has patience with us.  When we stray from God's will, God steers us back.  When we ignore God's law, God provides clemency.  When we doubt, God uses that doubt to convince us.  God calls and we respond in fear.  God wipes away fear.  In God we have courage.

Pray

for the courage to accept the challenges God places in your path.  Pray that you will see challenges as opportunities to serve the One in who's image you were created.