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Gideon: The Mighty Hero

“The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!’… ‘But Lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!’ The Lord said to him, ‘I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.’”¹

Gideon is a perfect example of how God uses the most ordinary of people to do extraordinary things. When the angel of the Lord came to Gideon, he was hiding from the Midianites who had been oppressing the Israelites. Their land had been stripped bare and Israel had been reduced to starvation because the Midianites had taken everything from them. Gideon’s first response to the angel was doubt. He questioned if the Lord was really with them, since all this suffering had taken place. He then questioned how he could be the chosen one to rescue Israel, as he considered himself to be the least of his entire family. The angel showed great patience with Gideon as he answered all his questions, and still then Gideon didn’t fully believe that it was truly an angel of the Lord speaking to him! Once he FINALLY realized that it was indeed God speaking to him through the angel, fear entered as he believed he would die for having seen the angel face to face. God, however, reassured him that no harm would come to him, and gave him instructions for battle.

Gideon probably felt mixed emotions because he didn’t know where God had been while all his people suffered. He gave excuses and asked God for proof many times before he actually accepted his assignment. It doesn’t seem like Gideon would be the obvious choice to be a mighty hero, and that is probably why he struggled so much to believe God had chosen him and would give him the victory over the Midianites. However, that is exactly what happened. God did great things through Gideon and, once again, showed himself Almighty to the same people who time and time again disobeyed Him.

We all have our moments of doubt and questioning. Our humanness is no surprise to God! Yet, with great patience and love, God shows himself faithful and strong to us. He chooses to use us, not because we have it all together, but because His strength is perfected in our weakness. We may not think much of ourselves, but when God is with us, we, too, can have the victory in our lives.

Suggested prayer: Dear God, forgive me for the times I doubt your presence in my life simply because of the circumstances around me. Forgive me when I question your will. Help me trust that everything that happens is preparing me for the work you have for me. You take ordinary people like Gideon and me to do extraordinary things! Thank you for being with me and for the victory I have in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

1. Judges 6:12,15-16 (NLT).

Today’s Encounter was written by: Crystal B.