I'll Wait (Gideon Part 2)

(If you haven't read my first post on Gideon...check it out here.)

I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have read over Judges Chapter 6 over the last two weeks. Way too many to mention. I suppose what has me hooked is how much of Gideon I see in me.

Gideon had a constant need for reassurance. Whatever he was being asked to do..He wanted to be sure he wasn't hearing things. It is easy to see how He was filled with doubt and insecurity.

After God tells him to go and save Israel (in the strength that is his) Gideon immediately begins to question and ask for signs. After God reassures him that He will be with Gideon through it all Gideon raised a question, that I have said many times before....

Gideon said, "If you are serious about this, do me a favor: Give me a sign to back up what you are telling me. Don't leave until I come back and bring you my gift."

I am sure that God would prefer that our faith would be unshakeable but here we see that he does not mind reassuring us we need it. Surprising enough...God doesn't look down at Gideon for asking for a sign or for questioning what the Lord is asking him to do...

He simply said "I'll wait til you get back."

Gideon prepared his offering to the Lord and then followed the Lords orders to save the Israelites. You would think that after an experience like this Gideons faith would be unshakeable, unmovable and out of this world. However, when you read further into Gideon's story we see that Gideon still required verification of whose voice he was listening to. As Gideon was called to go into battle he again asks the Lord for confirmation:

"If this is right, if you are using me to save Israel as you've said, then look: I'm placing a piece of wool on the threshing floor. If dew is on the fleece only, but the floor is dry, then I know that you will use me to save Israel, as you said."

Amazingly enough, when he got up in the morning he rung out the fleece that was wet with dew and it was enough to fill an entire bowl with water! Then Gideon did exactly what I have done time and time again....

"Ok, please don't be impatient with me but let me say one more thing. I want to try something else to confirm that you are speaking to me. This time let the fleece be completely dry while the dew drenches the ground."

Guess what? God made it happen.

As I look at this I wonder if Gideon was that insecure and unsure or did he really not want to do what he was called to do. Either way I see myself there, acting and reacting just like him.

It burdens me to know that I make the same excuses and I doubt the same things and the bottom line is.....at times I am being plain old rebellious.

However, God does not change he is as patient with us today as he was with Gideon. He lets us raise our questions and our doubts and you know what he does?

He waits until we get back.

Perhaps we should prepare our offering....