You Want Me to Do What? Gideon Part II

“And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” Judges 6:15

I don’t know how many times I responded to the Lord as Gideon answered. Who me? You want me to do what? I can’t do that! What were Gideon’s excuses? First, he didn’t have the funds (poor family you know); secondly, he was the youngest in the family. I can hear Gideon trying to explain, “You know, Lord, usually the blessings, inheritance and all that good stuff falls on the first born; not the last. All I’m good for is threshing wheat in secret in the winepress; what does that say of me? I’m not the most courageous guy in the neighborhood.”

We all have our excuses, don’t we? At the same time, we all have our opinions and complaints, just as Gideon, about what is wrong in the lives of those around us, in our community, country and the world. But may I humbly submit something to you? If you and I are graced with a personal relationship with the Lord Christ Jesus, He approached us as He did Gideon, and that was with purpose. Of course, the immediate resolve was to provide us, through His shed blood, victory over sin. That accomplished, Christ effectively removed the Midianite of death. “For the wages of sin is death….” (Romans 6:23), and as I explained in Part I, “Midianites, Midianites, Everywhere!” the Midianite problem was the consequence of Israel’s sin. How do I know that? Because the Lord, after providing Gideon assurance of His presence and assistance, first had Gideon tear down the altar of Baal, which was the source of Israel’s sin that led to the Midianite reoccupation of the land. Thus, in our lives, we must first address our sin; later we will see the consequences mitigated (not necessarily entirely removed; not until we are with Christ in glory.) All too often though, when we go to the Lord in prayer, we go to ask that God remove altogether the consequence, but we have no desire to remove the altar at which we serve our sin. Excuse the pun, but when that happens the Baal remains in your court. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

Another great lesson in this story is how the Lord was patient with Gideon, and how he is patient with us. The Lord didn’t mind that Gideon asked for a demonstration that He was Lord. It was written in verse 21, that after the Lord touched the rock with his staff that a fire consumed the flesh and unleavened cakes of Gideon’s sacrifice. “And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.” It was after this that Gideon went at night and tore down the altar to Baal. Later in the story, Gideon asked for additional demonstrations before he went up to oppose the Midianites in battle. What the Lord did for Gideon in his unbelief, Jesus helps us in ours. “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” Mark 9:24 Even the cry of our acknowledgement of unbelief is a cry of faith, however weak, unto our deliverer, Jesus. It teaches us that what we have, and that is really nothing, Christ has in abundance and He will lavishly provide if only we call upon His Name. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28