By: Denise Pass – © 6/4/14

Judges 6:12-16, 22-24 “The Lord’s messenger appeared and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, courageous warrior!’ Gideon said to him, “Pardon me, but if the Lord is with us, why has such disaster overtaken us?’…Then the Lord himself turned to him and said, ‘You have the strength. Deliver Israel from the power of the Midianites! Have I not sent you?’ Gideon said to him, ‘But, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Just look! My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my family.’ The Lord said to him, “Ah, but I will be with you!’ . . . When Gideon realized that it was the Lord’s messenger, he said, “Oh no! Master Lord! I have seen the Lord’s messenger face to face!’ The Lord said to him, ‘You are safe! Do not be afraid! You are not going to die!’ Gideon built and altar for the Lord there and named it, ‘The Lord is on friendly terms with me’”.

This message is for the fainthearted today who do not think they can even crawl out of bed, much less make it through a day or cry out to God one more time. Like Gideon, do you find yourself in a place where disaster has overtaken you? Gideon is honest about his doubts of victory. I love our Lord’s patience with Gideon while he takes awhile to figure out that God is enough. I remember not being able to feel my hands or feet due to anxiety – fear and dread over what next thing my enemy who was once my friend would unleash upon me. In the depths of my despair I cried out, “Lord, why must I suffer for another man’s sins?” “I did not complain when I bore yours – my grace is sufficient for you” was the response. In that agonizing place sometimes hearing that we have strength is not enough or believable. We tend to focus on the problem or on our weakness.  Gideon did, too.  But when God says it, and He promises to supply us with the strength and grace we need, then if we just step out in faith, He will do it – through us. People have said I am strong, but I know the truth. In my weakness, He is the strong one. Gideon named His Lord aptly – how amazing that He is our friend. As we walk with God in relationship, not religion, we begin to know His character. How amazing that we can know God – the Creator of the world! He is my Shield and Protector, my Defender. He was ‘the God who sees me’ to Hagar, ‘The God Who provides’ to Abraham. Who is God to you?

Lord, help us to realize that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Grant us strength to accomplish what you have called us to and faith to do that work.