It Happens in Steps

Day two hundred nine

There are times when I question the need to blog about my prayers and my scripture study.  Although I love communicating with my Father in Heaven and thoroughly enjoy studying the scriptures, it takes time to organize my thoughts and type up my blog.  Some days I just think it would be nice to not have to think so much!  But then I pray about my lack of motivation and the Lord reminds me of why I started this in the first place and I get up from my prayers knowing what I need to do.  I am very grateful for the gentle nudges that He gives me to keep me going, He knows me so well!

Judges 6:25-32

In my last post, we met a man named Gideon who God chose to deliver Israel from the bondage of their enemies.  At first, Gideon does not appear to be a likely candidate to be the deliverer of the nation. We found him hiding from the Midianites to prevent them from taking the small amount of grain he possesses.

Then an angel of the Lord comes to Gideon and tells him that the Lord has chosen him to be the deliverer of Israel. Gideon, like most people, immediately tells God why He is wrong. After losing the argument, Gideon finds himself worshiping the Lord and waiting for his orders.

Now we will watch as the Lord prepares Gideon for the mission that lies ahead. God brings Gideon along in a series of small, specific steps that will lead to Gideon achieving big things.  As we consider how God develops Gideon, take a moment to consider our own lives. The Lord is in the business of developing us as well. How is the Lord preparing you?

Have Faith

Sadly, Gideon's father was an idol worshiper who had his own altar built in order to worship Baal.  The Lord commanded Gideon to destroy his father's Baal-worshiping altar and also the grove of trees that surrounded it.  (Note:  Groves of trees played a prominent part in ancient heathen worship.  Within the groves the immoral rites of the heathen religions were performed. Old Testament Student Manual, p 255).

Gideon follows the Lords instructions and takes 10 men with him and carries out this assignment during the night.

There are two main purposes that I see for God issuing this command to Gideon. First, God intended to demonstrate His superiority over Baal. Gideon would topple Baal’s altar and Baal would be powerless to stop it from happening. Second, God wanted Gideon to know that He would be with him, regardless of the opposition he faced. This was a small step for Gideon, but it proved to him that God would never forsake him when he was doing the Lord’s will.

There are times when God will place a specific call in your life. When He does, He will let you know. He will speak through the scriptures, through His Spirit and through His church to reveal His will. When this happens it is an opportunity for you to build faith, an important step in your preparation.  Will you be like Gideon and in faith follow what the Lord calls you to do?

Do the Small Things

There is something in the simplicity of this task.  This was a command for Gideon to do something that he could do. This was a baby step to prepare him for what he could not do. Gideon had everything he needed to do what God was telling him to do; he merely had to do it. All he had to do was follow God by faith. God was using this simple command to prepare Gideon for something far more difficult. God was preparing Gideon to do things that were impossible. Gideon would have never believed God for the impossible, had he not seen the Lord first work in the possible.

As we prove faithful in the small things, God assigns us greater tasks. When we do those things, He leads us to do even greater things. That is how He works in each of our lives.  “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” (Luke 16:10)

Our problem is often that we do not do the small things He asks us to do, so we are never used by the Lord to do the greater things. When we will not pray, read the scriptures, go to church, pay tithes, or serve Him in all the many ways that are available, why should we expect Him to use us in great ways? He will never use us in great ways, until we first prove trustworthy in the small things of life.

Recognize that Actions Have Consequences

Gideon’s actions caused uproar in the community. God was pleased by what Gideon did, but He was the only one! When the men of the village saw that the altar had been destroyed, they demanded to know who had done it. It wasn’t long until they knew that Gideon had destroyed the altar and the grove. When they found out that Gideon had done this, they went to Gideon’s father and demanded that Gideon be put to death for daring to defy Baal.

We need to understand that not everyone is pleased when we obediently serve the Lord. There will be people all around us who will not understand. Family will feel left out. Unspiritual people will feel threatened. Lost people will accuse us of promoting ourselves.  When we serve the Lord faithfully and obediently, He will be glorified, but those around us may not understand what we are doing. Instead of giving in to those who oppose us, we must obediently follow the Lord in spite of all that some would do to stop us. Understanding this ahead of time allows us to prepare for the repercussions and lean on the Lord for support.

See the Blessings

When the men come to Joash (Gideon's father) to seek the life of Gideon, his response says something about how his son's actions have affected him.  I love his response to these men. He basically says, “Will you intercede for Baal? Will you be his savior? If you think Baal cannot take care of himself, you should be put to death right now! If Baal is really a god, let him come to his own defense." (Judges 6:31)  I like the word 'if' in his statement it implies that maybe there is a change of heart going on.  Sometimes God uses our actions to change the hearts of those around us, and that is a great gift and blessing.

One of the greatest benefits of this entire event was in the life of Gideon. All Gideon knew was that the Lord was calling him to do a great work. He was afraid and he was unsure how things would work out. As Gideon followed the Lord in this matter, he learned that God would walk with him, protect him and give him victory. That information would serve him well as the tasks he would be called to do grew larger.

Gideon learned on that day that God was able. He learned that God was more powerful than the false gods of the pagans. He learned that God was greater than the enemy. He learned that God would keep His word and that He would protect His servants. That was valuable information for a future deliverer like Gideon.  It is a valuable lesson for any servant of the Lord to learn!

Everything that God allows into our lives is a teaching experience. He uses all the events of our lives to teach us about His grace and His power. He uses the valleys and the mountains to train us for greater things. If we learn the lessons and walk in faith, He will use us in ways we never imagined.  How will you let the Lord teach you today?