“Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.
Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.
Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.”
Encouraged by all that God had done so far, Gideon called his family (the Abiezrites) together with a trumpet and raised an army from around Manasseh in response when foreign armies crossed the Jordan and camped in Israel.
As Gideon’s army gathered, so too must have the realization that it was “go time”. Gideon hadn’t been a soldier or a leader, but here he was as the Lord had called him: “mighty warrior”.
Gideon clearly had faith. The die had been cast when he raised his army. He was all in. But he also went back to God to confirm asking not once, but twice. “Please don’t be angry with me.” He said as he made his second request for God to reaffirm His promise.
God knew that Gideon was afraid and His response was to show Gideon He wasn’t going to leave him.
The Lord knows our fears and apprehensions. He invites us to seek Him, looking for His presence in our lives, even after we feel fully committed and even in the midst of it.
Gideon was just getting started. Where are you? More importantly, where is God?
Pray:
“Lord Jesus, reveal Yourself to me. I know You’re here with me. Teach me to rely on You for both the small things and the big things. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
