Remember Your Story

God's Urgent Call
Called to Be Strong

Gideon

Judges 6:1-10. The Message

Gideon

6: 1-6 Yet again the People of Israel went back to doing evil in God’s sight. God put them under the domination of Midian for seven years. Midian overpowered Israel. Because of Midian, the People of Israel made for themselves hideouts in the mountains—caves and forts. When Israel planted its crops, Midian and Amalek, the easterners, would invade them, camp in their fields, and destroy their crops all the way down to Gaza. They left nothing for them to live on, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. Bringing their cattle and tents, they came in and took over, like an invasion of locusts. And their camels—past counting! They marched in and devastated the country. The People of Israel, reduced to grinding poverty by Midian, cried out to God for help.
7-10 One time when the People of Israel had cried out to God because of Midian, God sent them a prophet with this message: “God, the God of Israel, says,
I delivered you from Egypt,
    I freed you from a life of slavery;
I rescued you from Egypt’s brutality
    and then from every oppressor;
I pushed them out of your way
    and gave you their land.
“And I said to you, ‘I am God, your God. Don’t for a minute be afraid of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living.’ But you didn’t listen to me.”

For Reflection

How short are our memories? After 40 years of peace, the People of God returned to unGodly ways.  Their infidelity lead to ruin and they were forced to flee.  Hiding in the mountains with little to eat and their land was overrun by an enemy. In their self-determination they had failed and now, reduced to poverty, in frustration called to God. Yet again, the People had forgotten who they were.  They forgot their story.  

What happens to us when life is easy? What happens to us when there are only a few minor challenges that are easily overcome to achieve satisfying results?  What happens to us when we no longer have a need for God?  What happens when we are no longer in awe of the power of God?

What happens when we, like the People, forget who we are, children of God? What happens when we forget the intention of God that we shepherd each other in obedience to God's will? What happens when we are surrounded by Godlessness, and the Godless seem to have an advantage?  What happens when we forget who and what we are?

Pray

Pray for those who have forgotten the story of who they are in the sight of God.  Pray for those who have been seduced by the false promise of conventional wisdom.  Pray so that you will never forget your story.