I.
This week we turn to the call of Gideon and his charge to rescue the people from the Midianites. Let’s start our time with Gideon by reading the Scripture below. You may want to take note of God’s call upon Gideon and Gideon’s several responses.

II.
Judges 6:1-2 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. The hand of Midian prevailed over Israel, and because of Midian the Israelites provided for themselves hiding places in the mountains, caves and strongholds.

Judges 6:7-16 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

When the Israelites cried to the Lord on account of the Midianites, the Lord sent a prophet to the Israelites, and he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you and drove them out before you and gave you their land, and I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; you shall not pay reverence to the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live.’ But you have not given heed to my voice.”

Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior.” Gideon answered him, “But sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has cast us off and given us into the hand of Midian.” Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian; I hereby commission you.” He responded, “But sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike down the Midianites, every one of them.”

III.
Where do we find Gideon?

“… beating out wheat in the windpress, to hide it from the Midianites.”

And I guess to hide himself also?

He is identified as a “mighty warrior” and Gideon’s response is, “… if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?”

He doesn’t seem to mind putting the hard questions to the angel of the Lord, does he?

He even suggests, “But now the Lord has cast us off and given us into the hand of Midian

Doesn’t the angel of the Lord need to call on people who are a bit more upbeat? Somewhat more willing to accept accolades such as “mighty warrior” and to step into the task offered?

How often do you think God calls on those who believe they are not up to the tasks at hand?

How often do you think folk are reluctant to walk into the future God has for them?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}