Scripture:
Judges 6:11-16 ESV
[11] Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. [12] And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” [13] And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” [14] And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” [15] And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” [16] And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”
Observation:
I’m going to be honest, and I know you read this from me regularly…and I’m telling the truth every time, but I absolutely love the story of Gideon. I also know that I have written about this scripture before, but I know the scripture in itself is inexhaustible. There is so much in the bible that never gets tapped into. How Gideon saw himself is important. In fact, it’s probably what the LORD keyed in on. He wasn’t bucking for the position. He wasn’t walking around stating I’m the greatest of all time. He was trying to do what was right—trying to feed his family. In fact, he was hiding in order to do so. He wasn’t trying to elevate himself or be more than he was doing what he had to his family was important to him and they needed to eat. I could see him in this wine press threshing out his wheat in impossible circumstances. There is no wind to carry the chaff away. But in the face of all that, he had to move forward. Yet, in his mind, he was less than. This brave bold man…less than. The LORD saw everything Gideon had been doing. All the effort knew it was time. What GOD saw was very different from what Gideon saw. I can almost hear Gideon talking to GOD in the wine press… where are you, LORD…? Where are all the mighty works I heard about as a youth? Why did you deliver us then but you won’t now? I actually picture Gideon saying, “Come save us, LORD.” Then the angel of the LORD appeared, and the conversation we got to read took place. Gideon was questioning where GOD was, and the whole time, the angel of the LORD was waiting under a tree listening to his cries. Waiting for just the right time. Gideon didn’t even know HE was there the whole time. Yet he was more than likely calling out to HIM. The encouragement that the LORD gave Gideon was clearly unexpected on Gideon’s behalf and not really what Gideon wanted to hear. The LORD was calling out in him who he had been created to be. Not who the world told him he was. Stand up and go in this might or yours…I will be with you. The might that the LORD saw was the fact that Gideon was willing to do whatever it took to feed his family. Yet, I was willing to remind GOD of who HE was in the past. Basically, saying you did it before now, do it again. Gideon was not relying on his valor in his mind he was just doing his part. His humble stance on how he saw himself is what the LORD saw as valor. The LORD had to remind Gideon that HE had never left. HE was sitting there ready for him to become ready, and he was he just didn’t know it.
Application:
The question is… how do you see yourself? Do you think you’re ready? Because if you do… you’re probably not… but if you don’t, you probably are. I know it’s a little confusing. But GOD is not looking for someone who will rely on himself to save anyone from anything. HE is looking for someone who knows he can’t and thinks it’s impossible. Yet, I will call on the name of the LORD anyway. Humility as valor what a concept. But we see it over and over in the bible. Humble yourselves before the all-mighty GOD and HE will exalt you. I am not a book-smart person. I know I have mentioned the level of my education before, and the reason why I do is not to talk down on myself but to exalt the LORD. By the world’s standards, there is no way I should be where I am, and in fact, it surprises me. Creative writing was not my strong suit and I had no interest in it. My point is GOD will take the least likely canadate and do something through them that they will have to rely on HIM to do. That way, the glory stays where it belongs… it’s HIS all HIS. I want to reference the first 3 steps in the life recovery program in short form so we get an idea of what GOD is looking for
- I can’t.
- HE can.
- I’m going to let HIM.
The world will try to convince you that it’s not possible. That it will never work and that you are unable, and what I’m about to tell you may go against what you believe, but I know it to be true. As far as it depends on you. It’s not possible, and you can’t do it, and you are unable. BUT GOD is the GOD of the impossible, and HE can. HE is looking for the one who is hiding in the wine press, thinking he can’t, but willing to do what it takes. This is my encouragement for you today. If you think you’re ready, you’re more than likely not, and if you think you’re not ready… the LORD is sitting under the tree listening to your prayers. HE wants to use you. HE does not call the equipped HE equips the called. You are a mighty man or woman of valor, and with HIM, nothing is impossible. The question is not, can you? The question is, are you willing? We are only vessels for the LORD’S purpose. The treasure is HIM. HE is able, and HE knows what HE has called you to do is bigger than you. That’s why HE called YOU to do it. Humble yourselves before the Almighty GOD and HE will exalt you. Exalt yourself before the Almighty GOD and look out.
Prayer:
Father, none of this life is about us or our ability. You have done it all. You have paid it all. What we were unable to do on our own. You have done it in a way we never thought possible. Help us to see not so much who we are but who you are in us. When we see broken, you see mended. What we see as a weakness you make strong. In all our shattered pieces where all seems lost, you are building a story of a mighty man or woman of valor. In and of ourselves, we can’t. We are weak and unable, but with you, we are more than conquerors. Give us the courage to do what you have called us to even when it looks impossible. Help us to see that with you that word does not exist. We love you, and we want to be used by you. We know you have done it before, and you will do it again. We are not ready by ourselves, but we know that you are with us, and if you are for us, no one can stand against us. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.