The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Judges 8:18-34 (day three)

“And the land was undisturbed for forty years in the days of Gideon.”

Gideon’s campaign gave Israel two generations of peace. What they did with that peace unfolds in disturbing fashion in the succeeding narrative. For now, however, they had the peace for which they had longed, dreamed, and cried. There are incalculable differences between the ancient Israelite culture and current Western civilization. The one similarity, though, is that Gideon’s peace and the peace which currently characterizes the West both mean freedom from existential threat. In other words, nobody is about to eradicate your world. Do you take that for granted? Everybody does. But now is the time to build a good future. That’s been God’s command from the beginning: “Be fruitful.” That means more than population. Israel did not build a good future in the days of Gideon. With Christ, you can.

Re:Verse passage – Judges 8:18-34 (day two)

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”²³ But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.” vs. 22-23

The Midianites were conquered. The tendency for Israel to want to elevate the instrument of Midian’s defeat makes sense. That’s where it gets complicated. Gideon was the instrument, yes, but he was not the reason for the victory. It was God who orchestrated all things to work for his good and glory. For Gideon’s part, he recognized this, but assumed his job was finished. There is so much to caution us in this story. If the Lord brings us to a place of victory we should rejoice and remember it was his hand of provision that made it possible. We should also not assume that once that victory has occurred that our assignment is done. As long as we have breath we should be seeking what our next task for the kingdom should be. May we never be complacent in the work.

Re:Verse passage – Judges 7:23-24, 8:1-9 (day seven)

“When I return safely, I will tear down this tower.” Judges 8:9

Pride goes before destruction… Proverbs 16:18

If you have ever played some sort of organized sport, you have probably heard a coach say, “There is no I in team.” Why is this phrase so popular in athletic circles? Tell me, do you think kids who are playing basketball in their driveway are imagining themselves sitting on the bench while someone else shoots the game winning shot? No, they are imagining being the one who hits the buzzer beater and being carried off on their teammates shoulders!

It is human (sinful) nature to want to be in the limelight (pride). Especially once you have gotten a taste of success, you begin to crave it! Coaches fight this attitude in their players, because self centered play in sports can destroy a team. Similarly, self centered leadership can destroy an organization. Gideon has tasted success, but he is beginning to let that success change his leadership.

Re:Verse passage – Judges 7:23-24, 8:1-9 (day six)

Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. ³³ Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’  Matthew 18:32-33

When given the opportunity, Gideon failed to extend the same kind of grace God had extended to him. When he was uncertain and lacking in faith, God was gracious in providing him the encouragement he needed.

Yet following his successes, instead of understanding and grace, Gideon was quickly offended after being rebuffed by leaders in both towns. And rather than recounting the story of God’s call and successes in battle, he quickly resorts to threats and condemnation of his very own people.

Sound familiar? Too often we are just as easily offended, and can be quick to condemn rather than seek understanding. Like Gideon we can be grace-less

Re:Verse passage – Judges 7:23-24, 8:1-9 (day five)

“He went up from there to Penuel and spoke similarly to them; and the men of Penuel answered him just as the men of Succoth had answered. So he spoke also to the men of Penuel”.

“There, but by the grace of God, go I”. One of the things I love about scripture is the honest depiction of people. We see the good and bad, strengths and weaknesses, victories and failures.

Some people take longer to trust and follow the Lord. The people of Succoth and Peniel are not willing to help Gideon. Having been persecuted for seven years by the Midianites was a very real and overwhelming experience. These groups of people were not ready to trust Gideon and his (only) 300 men to wipe out that massive army. I believe that often times, delayed obedience is disobedience. I/we ought to pray consistently for the Lord’s grace to help us obey according to His timing.  Wait when it’s time to wait. Move forward in obedience when it’s time to act.

Gideon seems to have forgotten a lesson previously learned. The victory is God’s and it’s for His Glory .  Perhaps his own ego led to his angered “reaction”. I/we ought to pray the the Lord by His grace would continually remind us of the spiritual truths and insights we’ve learned from Him through His Word and through our previous experiences.

Oh how we need His Grace, His Help, His Guidance… day by day… moment by moment!!  There, but by the grace of God…

Re:Verse passage – Judges 7:23-24, 8:1-9 (day four)

Which way is the wind blowing?  That is the question the leaders of Succoth and Penuel wanted to know.  These two cities were east of the Jordan.  They regularly had contact with these nomadic tribes and they did not want to stir up ill will.  Their goal was to get along with everyone and remain neutral and uninvolved.  Take no stand on anything so nobody gets offended.  Forget that God had given instructions regarding hospitality to your brothers.  Sit on the fence so you can drop off on either side as needed.

Their unwillingness to commit did not turn out well for these two cities.  In our spiritual life, we sometimes take the same position as Succoth and Penuel.  Truth be known, we are either for God or against God.  There is no neutrality in our spiritual lives.  It did not go well for Succoth and Penuel…neither will end well for us.  Each of us must take responsibility for our own decisions.  Are we for God or against Him?  We can’t be neutral!

Re:Verse passage – Judges 7:23-24, 8:1-9 (day three)

“What was I able to do in comparison with you?”

With this remark, Gideon displays the humble character that enabled him to remain attentive to his own motives: “Am I just making things up?” “Can I really lead these soldiers?” “Do I have what it takes to do what’s needed?” He regarded his own abilities with curiosity and his own conclusions with self-doubt. That kind of posture might seem like weakness to some, but it made room in Gideon’s life for others to join him in the mission. He saw his limitations, and so he had the ability to let others do what they were good at doing. He didn’t feel the compulsion to be the hero. You can find the same characteristic in Jesus’s cousin John: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Re:Verse passage – Judges 7:23-24, 8:1-9 (day two)

Then Gideon and the 300 men who were with him came to the Jordan and crossed over, weary yet pursuing. 8:4

There are several parts to this ongoing story of Gideon, but don’t miss this part: all the men survived the battle. In a battle every commander weighs the acceptable rate of loss. The unimaginable happened with Gideon and his men. From the very outset against the Midianites, God controlled the narrative. This was never Gideon’s battle. Continue reading in verse 4…they were weary, yet they kept pursuing. Think for a moment the assignment that God has placed upon your heart. Know this, if he has called you to it, he will see you through it. Know this also, it will cost you. Serving will require much from you physically, emotionally, and spiritually…but the outcome is secure. Don’t give up. Trust the one who called you. Now get back out there and pursue.