Christian Living

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The Angel of the LORD encourages Gideon
God desires that his people worship only him, but the people of Israel built an altar to baal which they worshipped. As a result, God delivered them into the hands of the midians for seven years. After losing their livestock, which was their livelihood, they finally cried out to the LORD. The LORD heard their cry and was preparing to send Gideon to deliver them. Gideon had some questions for God. You can read the story in Judges Chapter six.
He asked him the following questions and comment:
1. If the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Have you ever asked this question of God? I have.
2. Where are all the miracles our forefathers told us about?
3. The LORD has abandoned us and delivered us into the hands of the midians. Have you ever felt abandoned by God amidst all the trials of life? I have.
Scripture records real people, which had a real relationship with God. Scripture doesn’t hide the inner thoughts and feelings of God’s saints of old. Often I have pictured the Old and New Testament saints as being super human without fear, which is not true. I have sometimes thought, “they probably never thought like I do”, but they were real people with the same feelings and fears as we often experience.
Gideon even had some excuses for why he could not carry out God’s plan for him.
The LORD told Gideon that he would save Israel. Gideon’s reply to the LORD was that his family was poor, and he was the least of his father’s house. Sometimes when God opens a door in our life, we look at our own weaknesses and insecurities and think we cannot do the task at hand.
How did the LORD encourage Gideon to deliver his people?
The LORD told Gideon two things:
1. The LORD sent him verse 8
2. The LORD would be with him verse 12
Knowing that the LORD sent him to deliver the people of Israel, and that the LORD would be with him apparently encouraged Gideon, for, Gideon and some of his men went out at night and tore down the altar that had been built to Baal and built an altar to the LORD. I like the name he gave it. He named it, Jehovah shalom. The meaning of course is: The LORD is peace. Imagine having the peace of God in your heart in such a manner as to go out and destroy the altar of Baal, which these people worshipped.
Application:
Has the LORD called you to do something that you are afraid to do?
I can think of some things in my life.
Proverbs 3:5-6 is a great verse to read. It states: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Hebrews 13:5 For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. It is so comforting to know that the LORD is with us always and never leaves our side, even when people may leave us or die. This verse was especially comforting to me when mom died two years ago on March 14.
Psalm 118:9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. Mom always told me to trust no man, trust in God only.
Proverbs 29:25 But it is good for me to draw near to God, I have put my trust in the LORD God that I may declare all thy works.
Prayer: LORD, help me to not be fearful, rather to trust that you are with me always. Help me to use this knowledge not to fear and not to look to circumstances that may cause fear and anxiety, but to remember that your presence with me can remove fear. In Jesus name, I pray this, amen.
© 2010 by Zorrine Bailey KJV

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