The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse reading–Judges 7:2-8, 15-22 (day three) 

“Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”  Gideon’s ringing confidence came only after intense doubts and a profound mistrust of his own perception.  From the first stirring of God’s call to the moment he sounded the battle cry, Gideon had wrestled with uncertainty, confusion, skepticism, hesitation–every frame of mind that we normally associate with a person who walks away from potential greatness.  But such an association might in fact be faulty.  Uncertainty is not unbelief; confusion is not contempt; skepticism is not scorn; hesitation is not heresy.  Would that we all were so self-aware as to know that we are finite.  Gideon did not say to God, “You owe me more evidence.”  He said to God, “I’m not yet as strong as you can make me.”

Re:Verse reading–Judges 7:2-8, 15-22 (day two) 

“When they blew 300 trumpets, the Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army…” Vs. 22a

Never underestimate what God can do with a good brass band! Think about it, they brought down walls in Jericho, and caused an entire army to turn on each other in the story of Gideon. I am sure it wouldn’t surprise anyone if I would wax poetic about that musical power > military power, but let’s just consider how God continues to confound the wise with his unorthodox methods. How will the Lord demonstrate his power, love, and mercy in your life. Are you expecting a Damascus Road experience? Perhaps you are hoping that the Christians of the world will rise up and seize power from the corrupt leaders of our time. What if God chooses some unlikely set of circumstances to bring about his glory. Will you recognize the Lord, or dismiss it out of hand because it wasn’t what you have envisioned. We need to stop trying to outthink God, and let him use us in his infinitely creative ways. Personally, I’m hoping the next time he uses a choir.

Re:Verse reading–Judges 7:2-8, 15-22 (day one) 

“In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength saved her.”–v 2.

Sometimes it is not the victory that matters.  It’s the lesson!  God is no egomaniac, jealous for His own applause.  He is a wise ruler who knows that to the extent that we give credit to ourselves (or others) we drift from truth and protection and strength.  He wants us to praise Him because we are safe with Him.

When we boast it is “against God”–v 2.  An insult.  A slap.  No accomplishment is really ours.  He made us, gave us breath, skills, opportunity and friends.  Unspeakably ungrateful when we take credit without reference to Him!

“For who regards you as superior?  And what do you have that you did not receive?  And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”–1 Corinthians 4:7.

Will you give credit to God today?

Re:Verse reading–Judges 6:1-2, 11-28, 36-40 (day seven)

“The sons of Israel made for themselves dens in the mountains and caves and strongholds.”–v 2.

NOT what God had in mind for His people!  Playing defense.  Off balance.  Anxious and afraid, struggling to just “get by”.  A losing season.  Several in a row, actually.

The explanation lay in their relationship with God.  They were unaware, probably.  (We all have remarkable skills in rationalizing our actions and their consequences.)  Painful to hear and absorb the prophet’s words in v 10.  “You have not OBEYED me.”   YOU have not obeyed me.  You have not obeyed ME.

Hard for us to hear it, too.  We blame our circumstances on fate or God or the choices of others.  But it isn’t true.  Ever!  When we are without power, weak and defeated, grumbling and dissatisfied, it is because we have wandered from God.

The only way to be “more than a conqueror” is repentance and restoration to God.

Re:Verse reading–Judges 6:1-2, 11-28, 36-40 (day six)

Really, what made Gideon mighty? Was it his extensive military training, or the way he held his sword…no wait, he didn’t have either of these things. Or maybe it was his keen ability to hide? How about his articulate, well-worded complaints about the absence of God? Those must have caught God’s attention. It was none of those things. Either God was being sarcastic or he has another definition entirely. I choose the latter.

By all accounts Gideon was a weak, inexperienced, reluctant farmer. He was not the ideal leader (he was no Samson), far from it. And yet God sees might in him. God saw the smallest amount of faith in Gideon; the size of a mustard seed. It was enough to make him mighty! God measures mightiness in units of faith, and the smallest amount goes a long way. How about you? Are you mighty by God’s standards?

Re:Verse reading–Judges 6:1-2, 11-28, 36-40 (day five)

Gideon is struggling with genuine doubt and insecurity. We read this in verses 13-18. Yet, they are not enough to keep him from being obedient to God’s instruction. We all have to manage fear, insecurity, uncertainty, and doubt in different degrees as we follow Christ and obey the Lord. God’s promise was the deciding factor. The Lord’s promise to Gideon is the same promise He makes to us. “I will be with you!!”  For Gideon, it was enough to overcome doubt and insecurity and begin to take steps of trust and obedience. (Judges 6:27) And for us, the same promise can be a tremendous encouragement as we see and sense opportunities to trust and obey God. Will God’s promise empower us to take a first step or the next step? Will our faith become greater than our fears?

Re:Verse reading–Judges 6:1-2, 11-28, 36-40 (day four)

Gideon is the hero of our story this week, but he almost could have been eliminated before he got started.  He was speaking face to face with the Angel of the Lord and Gideon wanted some proof that it was God who was really speaking to him.  Once the Angel accepted the offering and caused it to be consumed with fire, Gideon realized (too late) that it really was God.  Gideon feared for his life.  Maybe Gideon did not consider that it might actually be God…maybe he didn’t consider what would happen to him if it was God he was speaking to.  God was merciful and told Gideon he would not die.

Many today approach God the same way.  They can never decide to believe in Him and yield their life to His control…they want more proof.  Then…it is too late!  When we stand before God in judgment, following death, it will be too late to recognize it really was Him.  It will be too late for mercy.  Today is the day for salvation…don’t put it off!

Re:Verse reading–Judges 6:1-2, 11-28, 36-40 (day three) “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?”  Note the passive construction of the question: “Why has this happened to us?”  The phrasing reveals the way Gideon and his people thought about the world: Geopolitical turbulence and social unrest just happen, and Israel is supposed to exist as a little bubble of God’s favor in the middle of all that messiness without ever affecting it.  As Isaiah made plain centuries later, however, Israel was to light the whole world so that God’s salvation would reach the ends of the earth.  Right now, though, they couldn’t even light their own nation.  With the rest of the world going to hell, can’t a nation get a little peace and quiet?  Gideon’s answer lay within his own question.  He eventually recognized that.  Will we?

Re:Verse reading–Judges 6:1-2, 11-28, 36-40 (day two)

 And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. 6:38

Gideon wanted to be sure. God was very patient. It began with the first encounter (6:17) Gideon said “show me a sign”, and the Lord swallowed up the offering in flame. Then just to be sure he was hearing correctly Gideon asked for another sign. This time it was the dew on the fleece. God appeased the request. Then, just to be sure, Gideon made another request, this time for dew on the ground and not the fleece. God again made his power clearly known. Gideon trusted. Gideon obeyed.

At some point our bluff will be called. Have you come to the point where God has demonstrated himself through his Word, his people, or in some other way? God is patient, but at some point Gideon had to stop asking for signs and start trusting. Is it time for you to start trusting again?

Re:Verse reading–Judges 6:1-2, 11-28, 36-40 (day one) 

“The angel of the Lord . . .said, ‘The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior‘ “–v 12

There are surprises ahead for people who know God.  Many. Follow God and you will certainly make these discoveries for yourself.

Discovery 1–He knows me.  Knows who I am.  My family.  My history.  My situation.

Discovery 2–He loves me.  Largest mystery of all.  See # 1.

Discovery 3–He has a new name for me.  Knows me by my true name, my God-given identity.

Remember Simon?  Jesus meets him and says, “You are Simon the son of John, you shall be called Peter (rock)”–John 1:42.

Remember the Revelation promise?  “I will give him a white stone, a new name written on it.”–Revelation 2:17.

This week we read the story of Gideon.  Surprise!  The angel doesn’t call him Gideon. He calls him “Valiant warrior” v 13.

Wow!  I wonder what God’s name for me is.  I wonder what His name for you is.