How cool is it that God wants to use people like you and me - normal, regular, slow-minded people - to do extraordinary things? Well, it's not just with you and me. It's a pattern He consistently uses all throughout history, Scriptures included.
Gideon is still on my mind here, after teaching about him last week. What an incredible story! Here's what's sticking around in my mind:
1 - "You are a mighty warrior". You might be thinking that's what Gideon said to God, right? Wrong. This is what GOD says to GIDEON! Gideon's knees are knocking, he's hiding out, and God says "you're a mighty warrior"! God sees in us what we can't see in ourselves.
2 - God wanted Gideon to overcome his fears. So he created a situation where Gideon had to choose - several times, actually - do I TRUST God or RUN? Trust or run. Those are the choices I'm convinced we face ALL THE TIME. Do I trust God with my future or run to the safe path? Do I trust God with my career or run? Do I trust God with the church or run? Do I listen to God and do what He says or run to the other voices?
3 - With God, the way forward is often the way backward. God kept taking his army away, making it smaller, smaller, smaller....until there were 300 left, to fight an estimated 250,000 person army! Then God said - "OK, that's about right." And proceeded to destroy the Midianites right in front of the 300 faithful.
What does God want to do in you right now - where is He calling you mighty warrior - that your knees are knocking about? What task is He putting in front of you that makes you want to RUN the opposite direction?
It's time to take a step forward. It's time to step into the fear. It's time to look it in the eye and go there anyway. It's time to stop running.
It's time to trust.
