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 love that God answered Gideon three times, even though Gideon should have believed God the first time. This gives me peace that I can ask God a question multiple times.
The part where you mentioned about Gideon’s faith growing and growing really spoke to me because I could identify with that. I’ve been praying to God about something and just when I thought I had it, he made me wait for it, increasing my faith in his answer through the wait.
Gideon isn’t perfect and neither are we. If anything, the characters in the Bible are there for us to identify with and to show us how in every step of the way humanity needs God. We are also able to see God’s characteristics through the relationships he holds with everyone we encounter in the Bible.
@Ashley – same…I take this passage to mean that God was demonstrating signs to prove that a doubtful Gideon could trust Him. I don’t see in the passage that God originally wasn’t going to help Gideon. God actually says from the beginning, “I will be with you.” (Judges 6:16)
How patient god is with me!
This past Sunday the sermon was about all of the times God says “I am with you”. God says that a lot! He reminds us that He is with us. How easy it is for me to forget that and believe that it all depends on me. No wonder I get so overwhelmed. Even in this story of Gideon, God chose one of the smallest and weakest to go into battle. I’m pretty sure I would be looking around behind me if an angel said that to me. Who me???? Really??? I”m often timid to make specific requests of God, such as the fleece, but maybe that is okay to do. I’ve been trying to be more specific with my prayer requests instead of just asking God to ‘bless everyone’. God understands us better than we do ourselves. I trust Him to show me the way in His way, knowing He is with me.
Over the last couple of days, Faith has played a very different role in my life and this hit on something huge for me. There are time where we do not feel like we are enough to deal with something and that we need God to essentially fix it for us, but instead God gives us the strength to handle those situations ourselves, and then it is up to us to use that strength (or not) and honestly, that is comforting because it let’s me know that I still have the power to make my own decisions (God’s plan for us is something I’ve struggled with for years) and He still supporting us though our lives by giving us the tools. I think a lot of times in life, God sets up things for us but those situations have unexpected outcomes, but it gives us a chance to learn and grow as people
I’m having a difficult time finding where God changed his mind after re-reading the Judges passages. Any input?
Kayla, as I read what you wrote I could identify with each sentence. So many times my questions are seeking that I’m responding to what God wants and not me or satan. Thanks.