Under cover of darkness... (Gideon, part 3)

Young Gideon was still shaking clear down to his toes as he walked back to his people. Thoughts raced and swirled through his mind making him dizzy. Why would God take the time to talk to him? Again, the happenings played out in his mind: "minding my own business, visited by angel, was told I would save Israel, I dared talk back to him, asked for a sign, got my answer, built an altar to God."


It was too much to comprehend and doubt started rearing its head. The closer he got to home, the more he began to wonder if it really happened. That soon changed, though. As he walked into the village, all eyes were on him. His brother and sister must have spread the word.


That night he lay in bed contemplating this yet again when God spoke to him.

"Take your father's best seven-year-old bull, the prime one. Tear down your father's Baal altar and chop down the Asherah fertility pole beside it. Then build an altar to God, your God, on the top of this hill. Take the prime bull and present it as a Whole-Burnt-Offering, using firewood from the Asherah pole that you cut down."



This time Gideon sprang into action. He chose some faithful men and he did exactly what God asked him to do. The only thing is, though: he did it in the cover of darkness. Surely God didn't mean for him to do it when all could watch? He would for sure get killed if he did that. No, tearing down Baal's altars would be a death sentence.

People quickly figured out who dared mess with their idols. They all stood at Gideon's door and demanded that he should die for his sins.


Good old Dad saved Gideon that day. (31) "Are you going to fight Baal's battles for him? Are you going to save him? Anyone who takes Baal's side will be dead by morning. If Baal is a god in fact, let him fight his own battles and defend his own altar."


So there you have it. Gideon was called by God to tear down Baal's stronghold. He did it, although quietly, in the cover of night. How can we blame him? Good old Dad had to step in and stand up for his son. Gideon had trouble seeing himself the way God saw him: as a strong, courageous man of God. He still had to grow into his shoes but grow he would.

How does God see you? I remind my friends all the time that we are children of the King so we can keep our heads lifted high. That's the way God sees you. How do your friends see you? I have friends who must be looking at themselves in circus mirrors. That's the only thing I can figure out. They don't see what mighty men/women they are. But I am the same way. I can see it in others but not in myself. We are all in the same shield of darkness. If we would just come into the light -- do what God asks us to do, when He asks us to do it -- Wow! I wonder how much our lives would change?

Let there be LIGHT! Okay now, its light. Come walk with me! Let's see what we can do for God today!

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Give me a Sign! (Gideon's story, Part 2)

In the last post, we left the Angel of God sitting under a tree patiently waiting for our 'not-so-much-wanting-to-be-a-hero' of a kid, Gideon. The Angel had just told him that he would defeat the Midianites but Gideon wasn't convinced one bit. He wanted a sign!

Gideon raced home, yelling at the top of his lungs for his little sister to come help. Together they prepared a young goat and made a humungous batch of unraised bread. Hardly anyone batted an eye at his craziness. Gideon was prone to silly antics so was able to finish his job and get out without so much as a raised eyebrow his way.

Gideon talked his sister and brother into helping him carry his feast the long way and was a bit surprised that the Angel was still there when he got back.

"Go ahead and put the meat and unraised bread on the rock over there."

Gideon did as he was told.

"Now pour the broth on them both."

Gideon again did the Angel's bidding, not knowing where he was going with this. The Angel of God stretched out his stick and touched the meat and bread.

Gideon stood, waiting, and his brother and sister long ago forgotten, stood in the shadow of the tree. As soon as the tip of the stick touched the food, fire broke up out of the rock and burned up the meat and bread.

Our 'soon-to-be-hero' 's jaw dropped to the ground. His siblings jumped back in fright then turned and ran home as quick as their wobbly legs could take them.

Gideon quickly realized that it was for sure God who spoke to him. He said, "Oh no! Master, God! I have seen the angel of God face-to-face!"

God quickly assured him that he would not die.

Gideon looked around for his brother and sister, and not finding them, he started building an altar on his own. As he worked, thoughts went round and round in his mind. "God said I would defeat Midian. How can this be? But the fleece was burned up. Surely God has spoken."

When the altar was built, he named it, "God's Peace."

What signs are you looking for today? Are you testing God to make sure that it is Him who is talking? From studying this passage, I would say that questioning God is okay. But after we have our answer, we need to move forward and grab hold of it.

Kristen, from Exemplify, sent me an e-mail today. She said, "Don't feel puny, dear friend, Christ calls you a mighty warrior!! He is in you - the hope of glory. We have the hope of glory."

Kristen is right. We certainly do have the hope of glory! The puny in me can flee. The fleece has burned up. He has assured me that I am a mighty warrior and will be given everything I need for the battle. But like Gideon, I have much to learn and more messes to make! Tomorrow we will find out how Gideon messes up.

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You Talkin' to Me?

The young man worked, minding his own business. He stood up to stretch his back and wipe the sweat from his brow when a presence caught his attention. To his right, sitting under a tree, sat an angel of God. He had heard about angel sightings before.

The angel spoke, 12 "God is with you, O mighty warrior!"

"God is with me? If that's so, then why has all this horrible stuff been happening to us? What about all those miracles our parents and grandparents told us about, can you tell me that? Huh? God has nothing to do with us. He has turned us over to the Midianites."

Gideon started to work again when the angel got in his face. 14 "Go in this strength that is yours. Save Israel from Midian. Haven't I just sent you?"

"You can't mean me. I'm from the weakest tribe and I'm the youngest. Maybe you wanted to talk to my uncle over there. See him?"

16 God said to him, "I'll be with you. Believe me, you'll defeat Midian as one man."

"Okay, if this is so, give me a sign. Stay right here and I'll be right back!"

The angel was patient. He agreed to wait.

And we will wait with the angel, out under the tree or you can go ahead and read the rest of the story found in Judges, chapter 6 and 7. I'm sure this "punk" kid won't try to test the Lord, surely not! And I am sure we NEVER dared argue with the Lord, either!

Is He asking you to do something today? If you listen, you just might hear Him.

"Lord God, I'm feeling puny today. Surely You're not talkin' to me. Be with all of us as we go about our day. Help us to think on You and wonder what it is that You desire for us to do to further Your kingdom for Your glory. We love You, Lord. Help me persevere through this and write out Gideon's story this week. Thank you for my preacher who taught about this man yesterday and who challenged us to read these two chapters. This is Your day, Lord. Please use me in whatever way it is I need to be used. Thank You, Lord."

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