Today's blog post came about as a result of my having had opportunity, this past week, to spend some time in prayer, study and observation of the life of our friend Gideon.
The particular portion of scripture that touched and spoke most to my heart is today's scripture reference...Judges 6:12....
I have had occasion to speak with many precious sisters about the ways in which God is working in their lives and have found that with each of them, as well as myself, there seems to be one key similarity in all of us...we tend to struggle with doubt as it relates to God being able to accomplish His work/plan through us....
Hence why, God's word to Gideon leapt off the page and ministered greatly to my weary, misguided heart!!! I pray when you're finished reading this today that your heart will have been greatly ministered to as well....
Many of us struggle with poor self-esteem...some imposed by the careless words of others; while some is self-imposed due to the lies we've chosen to believe about ourselves...it seems when you read this portion of scripture, that Gideon suffered from the very same malady....God comes to him and refers to him in a way which clearly tells much about who he WAS in God's eyes and yet, Gideon's response tells us that he in no way viewed himself the same way....worse yet, his response even clearly tells us that he carried doubts about Who God is as well.... "Gideon said to Him, "Please Sir, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened? And where are all His wonders that our fathers told us about? They said, Hasn't the Lord brought us out of Egypt? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian." (vs. 13 HCS Study Bible). As soon as Gideon spoke those words, God went on, in verse 14, to interject and attempt to reassure him of the promise of His power and presence that were with Gideon, but yet again, we see Gideon respond with doubt..."He said to Him, Please Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father's house." (vs. 15 HCS Study Bible). Immediately, God goes on to attempt to reassure him again in verse 16, by restating that He would most assuredly be with Gideon if he would just go out in obedience to Him....and Gideon, so human and just like us, turned right around and asked God for a sign to prove what He had spoken... (vs.17)
Doubt, doubt and more doubt....did you hear it in Gideon, Precious Friends? Perhaps the better question to ask is.... Do you hear it in yourselves? I know I sure have heard it within myself.....but, here's our hope.... and please be sure NOT to miss it...."God called Gideon a "mighty warrior" not because of his experience, but because of his POTENTIAL- and, undoubtedly, because of what God planned to accomplish through him..." (1)
Did ya catch it, Friends...did ya see yourself in that last bit of truth???? I so, so, hope that you did!!!!
I'm not certain of what your experiences have been, what others have called you, or even what you may call yourselves...but, the exciting, hope and promise we have lies in what God CALLS us!!!! You see, just like He had a plan for Gideon's life; He also has one for ours...and just like He called Gideon a "mighty warrior" because of what He intended to accomplish in and through him, God is calling you by the name He has established in His plans for you as well!!! The beauty and blessing are.... that just like in Gideon's life....it's already done, My Friends....God's plan, from His perspective, is already accomplished in our lives...now, we simply only need to be obedient to Him and walk it out!!!!
I wonder if you've begun to hear it??? I wonder if while reading this you've begun to feel the stirrings of what God is calling you, and better yet, what planned work He is calling you to do for the cause of furthering His Kingdom in the earth.... That's my prayer for you today, Sweet Friends...that you'd settle yourself and begin to listen for His voice...I promise you, in His way and time, He'll be just as willing and faithful to reveal and call you by the name He has prepared for you as well......
1. Excerpted from: The Holman Christian Standard Apologetics Study Bible; 2007 by Holman Bible Publishers; Nashville Tennessee.
