What Are You Looking At?

“Thirty-two thousand men…following me. There’s no way the Midianites can stand against us. We’re invincible.”

“You’ve got too many men, Gideon.”

“What, Lord? Too many men?”

“Yes. Say to the people, “Whoever is afraid can go home.”

As Gideon watched twenty-two thousand of his troops tramp back home what was he thinking? This is Gideon, the weakest-clan warrior, the hide-in-a-hole hero. Was he shaking in his sandals?

I don’t think so. God had called him to lead, had promised him victory. I think he probably got a little nervous as the fearful fled, but then he looked at the fearless – ten thousand battle-ready warriors.

If God said there were too many before, then these guys must be the leanest, meanest fighting force ever assembled. “There’s no way the Midianites can stand against us. We’re invincible.”

“You’ve got too many men, Gideon.”

“What, Lord? Too many men?”

“Yes. I’ll separate them for you. Take them down to the water.”

God had Gideon set aside those that brought the water to their mouths from those who put their mouths to the water. Three hundred in one group, nine thousand seven hundred in the other.

As Gideon looked out over the two groups, he probably nodded with satisfaction. “Three hundred, that’s doable. We should have no problem defeating Midian without those three hundred guys.”

“No, Gideon, the three hundred is your army. Send the nine thousand seven hundred home.”

“What! Three hundred men?”

God went out of his way to make sure Gideon knew God was with him. He called him, burned up a meal on a rock, kept the fleece wet and kept the fleece dry. “Gideon, I’ve chosen you!” It’s almost as if God was shouting it. “You are the one.”

And then…when Gideon’s finally convinced – and thirty-two thousand others are too – it seems as if God’s saying, “Just kidding.” Of course, that’s not what was going on.

God chose Gideon, chose Gideon to lead Israel, chose Gideon to defeat Midian. But God also chose Gideon to follow Him, do depend on Him, to bring glory to Him. Gideon couldn’t let the sight of thirty-two thousand men take his eyes off the King of Glory.

When we are afraid, hiding in a hole, it is easy to place our trust in the power of the almighty, world-creating, death-defeating God. But for many of us, all we need is a little confidence, a little prosperity, a little victory and then we act like four year-olds. “I can do it myself.”

When it seems as if your resources are receding or your followers flagging, perhaps that’s not a sign of discouragement. Instead, it’s a sign that the God of the universe is preparing you for an amazing battle. He’s going to strike down the Midianites in your life. He just wants you to know He is the power in powerful, the might in almighty and the victor in victory.

Fleece

Angel: “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”

Gideon: “But…”

Angel: “I will be with you, and you will strike the Midianites as one man.”

Gideon: “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have said, behold I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.”

God: Did it.

Gideon: “Please let me test one more time with the fleece…”

God: Did it again. “Now – Go down against the [Midian] camp, for I have given it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down with Purah your servant. And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.”

Then Gideon went with Purah…

And they call Thomas “Doubting.”

But how many of us are just like Gideon? And usually (okay for me – always), God isn’t asking us to go into battle against a superior fighting force using REAL swords… that cause REAL wounds…and possibly REAL death. For us, it’s more like God saying, “Obey my commands… even when you don’t want to.”

And our response:

“Oh, I don’t know if I can do it. God probably doesn’t want me to really obey. I mean, not all the time. People might think I’m weird… How could I be an effective witness if they think I’m weird?

“Okay, I feel better about that now. I think. God, do you really want me to obey? I mean… I… I’ll tell you what, God. If you want me to do this, then make it crystal clear to me – somehow.”

I’ve done that…more than once. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m alone in this. Neither do I think this is what the story is trying to show us. God is not about miracles or magic just to help us see what he wants us to do.

However, if confirmation helps you do what he’s already asked you to do, He might. God asked, quite possibly, the biggest chicken in the world to become an army commander. Confidence boosters were exactly what Gideon needed.

But don’t read the story and expect God to wet the fleece for you.

First you must listen. Open your heart to hear the voice of God calling you to service. Note that Gideon said twice as you have said. He already knew what God wanted. Gideon’s struggle was with obedience.

When God has asked you to do something, he will grant what you need to be obedient. Ask him for it…again and again, if necessary. He will provide.