I am not like the child who keeps asking. I am like the one who asks once, receives a “no,” and leaves dejected. Persistence is not a particularly strong skill of mine, and it takes a great deal of attention for me to know what I desire most of the time. This may be rare. I know many women whose desires are potent, present, and always before them. They posture themselves before God asking and asking and asking again for Him to meet their desires. We have all been given different measures of faith (Romans 12:3).
In this passage, Gideon is an asker who won’t take “yes” for an answer. He wants reassurance even after God responds to his request: “‘Don’t be angry with me; let me speak one more time. Please allow me to make one more test with the fleece. Let it remain dry, and the dew be all over the ground’” (Judges 6:39). In the end, God gives him the reassurance he’s asked for: God’s presence goes with Gideon in battle.
I sometimes wonder why God entertained Gideon’s request. Was God bolstering Gideon’s faith, bit by bit, before leading Gideon into battle? After all, God had already answered Gideon. But God met Gideon right where he was, giving him what he needed in the moment, progressing Gideon’s faith—growing it, bolstering it, and filling it to overflowing.
When we ask God for something again and again, it doesn’t always mean we’re petulant children, whining about how unfair life is. Sometimes it means we’re inching closer and closer to seeing the enormity of God’s overwhelming help, love, and presence, which seem almost too good to be true.
When we ask God for what we don’t think is humanly possible, we acknowledge our utter inability to bring it to pass. We submit to the truth of His absolute sovereignty over all things. This is what Gideon shows us about God and man: the beautiful practice of God’s children seeking and asking, and the spectacular gift of God’s presence with us.
I value your insights, Churchmouse! Thank you!
I am bowed over by God’s sweet, sweet kindness & allowance for Gideon’s persistent doubt. He had “legit” reasons for his doubt: being from meager background & puzzled about where the God of Israel’s history was. And yet he had just recognized h was in God’s presence, had seen the fire consume the food & broth. Yet he needed & sought repeated assurances which the Lord graciously provided: the flee e, & sending him the overhear the Midianite’s dream & its interpretation. He also spoke such encouraging & envisionary words: the LORD is with you; go in the strength you have; I will be with you; peace to you, you will not die; if you are [still] afraid, go down to the camp…
What an amazing God who has dealt similarly with my pathetic doubts & unbelief.
Things I appreciate about today’s reading:
1)When the angel appeared to Gideon and said, “The LORD is with you, valiant warrior.” His first thought wasn’t about being called a valiant warrior, it was about the LORD being with him. All his life he heard about how the LORD brought them out of Egypt, of His power and might, and yet, at this place and time he felt abandoned by the LORD. He was hungry to see the LORD, he wanted the LORD to be with him, but didn’t understand how that could be. (He didn’t realize the deliverer of the message of the LORD until the food he offered became a sacrifice and the angel disappeared. )
2)I also adore God’s grace towards him. After he realizes it was the LORD bringing the message he panics, but the LORD offered him peace and told him not to be afraid. God also graciously gives the sign of the fleece. I wondered if that sign helped Gideon later when he took his army from 32,000 to 300? I also see grace when God told him it was time to go, but…if he was feeling afraid to take Purah and go listen to the enemies conversation.
LORD, when you call me, I long for my heart to recognize that what matters is that You are with me. And, when I am in the depths of discouragement-when I lean towards unbelief…thank you for loving me even there and allowing me to ask the questions of my heart. Thank you for your mercy and grace in situations where you lead and guide me step by step into Your will and Your call. Thank you Jesus for coming to this earth and understanding my human frailties and yet conquering them yourself. You know me and still love me, and I am thankful. Amen, Selah.
This story for me is about accepting God’s help. I think Gideon wasn’t really testing his faith every time he asked God for a sign but it was more of “ ok I need to know you are there so I can accept your help”. I don’t think I always allow God to fight my battles with me because I don’t feel worthy of Him. I am glad that God is merciful enough to stay with Gideon to truly show him that He would be by his side no matter what.
I was encouraged this morning by these passages about Gideon and by the devotion. My son is in a lifestyle that is humanly impossible for me to change his heart about. I am encouraged in God’s sovereignty this morning and to be persistent in prayer.
10Those who know your name trust in you because you have not abandoned those who seek you, Lord.
This really spoke to me this morning. ❤️
I’m with Emily and Carrie on this one — I don’t think Gideon was full of faith. Gideon was hiding, threshing wheat in secret so the enemy wouldn’t find his grain, when he was visited supernaturally by an angel (or maybe Jesus, I think some theologians believe this could have been a theophany) and yet he had to ask for several miraculous signs before he actually took steps of faith. He was honest, though, admitting that he didn’t have the faith to do what God had chosen him for — God was patient and kind to bear with Gideon in his faltering faith, bolstering it with supernatural signs.
Becky, I agree that he was hiding. But I sometimes find myself in prayer saying, Ok God, I’m oblivious here. I almost need that supernatural ,so to speak, sign to know that it is God I am hearing, and not the devil pushing me to take matters into my own hands and getting in God’s way. There have been times that I think I hear God clearly, know I have, and other times I’ve had to ask, God is that you? Am I messing things up? My doubt is not in God, he always has me, but my doubt comes in knowing for certain I am doing what he is asking/calling me to do.
Here is the link to the song I mentioned above: https://youtu.be/OqjGT9BSyJA