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Gideon's Fleece... And Our Insecurities


Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew. (Judges 6:36-40)
 

       Gideon took action that wasn't popular. He obeyed God, which got Israel in trouble with the Midianites. The acclaim he might have expected didn't materialize. You've probably been there. It seems impossible to obey God today without being attacked, even by people who call themselves Christians.
            Gideon almost fell back on his old insecurities. Almost. The difference was that Gideon went to God. He returned to his "least of the least" but this time, he included God. He was a nobody, but if God wanted him.... Maybe the first time was a mistake, but if God wanted him.... OK, those might have been a fluke, the third time proved it.
            I've been told that what Gideon did shouldn't be a model for our lives. God had already told Gideon that Gideon was going to be His tool. Gideon was questioning God, like Job, Abram, Moses, David, Paul and even Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane. Yes, Gideon was questioning God, like we all do, and God was gracious to him. He even gets an honorable mention in Hebrews 11 with Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets. For being something we're not supposed to do, we'll be in good company if we do it with a humble heart.

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