Have you ever questioned whether a promise of God was true? I have. When you questioned God how did it make you feel? For me I felt lost and without hope. Have you ever read the story of Gideon? I have and learning about Gideon’s story helped give me hope. Let me share with you what I learned.
Reading the story of Gideon revealed important things to me. God called Gideon for a purpose. I too believe I have been called for a purpose. Gideon had questions for God. I have questions for God. Judges 6:12-13 is the account of the start of Gideon’s call, “And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.’ And Gideon said to him, ‘Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.,’” (ESV)
Gideon, despite his questions, did what God wanted him to do. I would like to think I am too and doing all God wants me to do despite my questions. Gideon gets serious about his questions to the point that he tests God. He lays out a fleece, with instruction of what he wanted as proof and God provided it. He then asked if he could test God again. This time he used the same fleece and asked that the opposite would occur and God honored his request.
Then God tested Gideon proving to Gideon that it is God who delivers not Gideon. “The Lord said to Gideon, ‘The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, “My own hand has saved me.” Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, “Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.” Judges 7:2-4 (ESV) God did not stop there He decreased the size of Gideon’s army one more time so it was only three-hundred men. And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.” Judges 7:7 (ESV)
The story of Gideon continues until his death after he had been a judge of Israel for 40 years. “So Midian was subdued before the people of Israel, and they raised their heads no more. And the land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.” Judges 8:28. (ESV) So, I have hope that I too can make a difference for the kingdom of God.
Gideon was included in the “Hall of Faith” chapter in Hebrews. “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” Hebrews 11:32-34 (ESV) So even though Gideon questioned God several times he was a man of great faith. So, I know even though I have questioned God in my life in the long run He has stood by me, and I have tried to faithfully follow. I too believe I am a man of faith. It is by that faith that I have hope today and forever.
I pray you that you will seek God in all your decisions in and you too will receive hope. It is through a relationship with God through Jesus that solves the problem of sin and brings us hope in the present and the future. I would also encourage you to seek Jesus for He is the only opportunity there is to have eternal life. This is to me the greatest source of hope. In doing so, I believe we will have hope and joy during our everyday lives. Understanding that Jesus Christ allows us to access eternal life, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) This will allow us to have hope. At the same time understanding you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ and this will bring you the greatest hope. Because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for sins. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
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eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.
