Reading: Judges 3: 28 - 15: 12
Scripture: Judges 6: 36 - 40
36 So Gideon said to God, “If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said— 37 look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground.
Reflections:
I cannot fault Gideon.
On paper, and in my head, I know that God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.
But when the foolish thing He wants to use is you, and the wise that need confounding are a really big army, or dark city that needs hope?
Questions are normal.
Questions are expected.
Now.... Gideon probably should have accepted that God really and truly was intending to use him, the smallest member of the weakest clan in all of Manasseh, after the FIRST test of the fleece... But God is gracious, and was patient with him.
I adore the story of Gideon, because my husband and I are in the waiting stage. We are testing every thing that sounds like it could be the Lord's will, so that we do not make a move outside of His timing.
Gideon's story reassures me that He will not be upset with us being careful to obey HIM, and not acting out of our own ambition, and ascribing it to Him.
And, God's patience with Gideon during the fleece tests just makes my heart sing.
The God who created the World, who could smite the enemies of His chosen people with one thought, chose to reveal Himself to the weakest of them all, and use an unlikely vessel to bring about HIS GLORY.
If I can wrap my head around the God assesses character, it changes the way I see people.
What is He looking for?
1. Usability.
A heart not filled with pride that trusts Him.
2. Humility.
Accurately seeing ourselves compared to His greatness.
3. Obedience.
He needs people that are going to do what He asks, even if it does not make sense.
My most sincere prayer is that we would find all three, in me.
Reflections:
I cannot fault Gideon.
On paper, and in my head, I know that God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.
But when the foolish thing He wants to use is you, and the wise that need confounding are a really big army, or dark city that needs hope?
Questions are normal.
Questions are expected.
Now.... Gideon probably should have accepted that God really and truly was intending to use him, the smallest member of the weakest clan in all of Manasseh, after the FIRST test of the fleece... But God is gracious, and was patient with him.
I adore the story of Gideon, because my husband and I are in the waiting stage. We are testing every thing that sounds like it could be the Lord's will, so that we do not make a move outside of His timing.
Gideon's story reassures me that He will not be upset with us being careful to obey HIM, and not acting out of our own ambition, and ascribing it to Him.
And, God's patience with Gideon during the fleece tests just makes my heart sing.
The God who created the World, who could smite the enemies of His chosen people with one thought, chose to reveal Himself to the weakest of them all, and use an unlikely vessel to bring about HIS GLORY.
If I can wrap my head around the God assesses character, it changes the way I see people.
What is He looking for?
1. Usability.
A heart not filled with pride that trusts Him.
2. Humility.
Accurately seeing ourselves compared to His greatness.
3. Obedience.
He needs people that are going to do what He asks, even if it does not make sense.
My most sincere prayer is that we would find all three, in me.
