Tasks that are too big for us. Bad habits that can't be conquered. Employers who hang us out to dry. Marriages that are filled with pain. Babies that can't be conceived. Children who ignore everything we've taught them. Loneliness that doesn't let up. Bills that can't be paid. Depression that suffocates us. Sickness that threatens to destroy. Goals that can't be met. Dreams that aren't fulfilled...
When we meet Gideon in Judges 6, Israel was facing a very impossible situation. The Midianites were in control and continuously ransacking and destroying them. The Israelites had to leave their homes and hide in caves in the mountains. Every time they tried to sow crops the Midianites would come and tear up their fields.
This went on for seven long years. The Israelites were left without food, without safety; and almost without hope.
Almost.
Before they had turned away from God; but now, in desperation, they cried out and cried out to God to save them. And God heard their cry.
When we are in an impossible situation, and we cry out to God, He hears our cry.
Still, when the Lord appeared to Gideon "under the terebinth tree" He didn't find what we would consider a fiery man of great faith. God appeared to a broken man: bitter, confused, disappointed, tired and scared. Gideon was hurt and he was angry with God. "If the Lord is with us," he asks in 6:13, "why then has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles which our fathers told us about? ...The Lord has forsaken us."
God wants to help us, even when we're struggling with doubt.
I've been there. Have you?
God knew the condition of Gideon's heart. But do you know what God called him? In verse 12 He declares, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!"
To me that is one of the coolest verses in the whole Bible. I absolutely love it! Here is Gideon. Frustrated, disillusioned Gideon. By his own recognition from the "weakest clan" and "least" in his father's household. But God chooses him as His instrument and calls Gideon a mighty man of valor.
God says it again in verse 14, "Go in this might of yours and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" And in verse 16, "Surely, I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man."
This is grace.
We may feel weak, but the truth is that we are strong. We are strong because He is with us.
When we are weak and wobbling, God comes down, looks us straight in the eye, and tells us: Go in this might of yours, you mighty man of valor! You mighty woman of valor! You are strong because I AM WITH YOU. I have heard your cry of despair and I want to turn your story of an impossible situation into a story of victory.
God wants to turn our impossible situation into something beautiful.
But it doesn't always happen right away. I can only imagine what might have been going through Gideon's mind in chapter 7.
First, God tells Gideon that he has too many people in his army (7:2). God doesn't want the Israelites to get puffed up and take the glory away from God for this victory. So He sends 22,000 men packing for home and leaves Gideon with only 10,000. God makes the impossible situation even more impossible.
Next, God tells Gideon that 10,000 is still too many (7:4)! Again, He wants it to be clear that this victory is HIS, not theirs. So God tells him to send another 9,700 men home. This leaves Gideon with 300 men. Three hundred men to defeat a huge army of formidable Midianites.
Gideon must have been shaking in his boots.
Sometimes just before God conquers our impossible situations He makes them even more impossible! He doesn't want us to mistake His power for our own.
The story gets even crazier. God tells them to blow a bunch of trumpets and break some pots and yell. That was their battle strategy (7:20). Okay, God, sure. If you say so... Here we go!
It worked.
All Gideon's army of 300 did was blow their trumpets, break some pots, and yell. And God caused the Midianite army to melt into complete chaos and self-destruction. They fled.
God's answer to our prayer doesn't always look like we expect it to, but He always answers.
Our God is a God of impossible situations.
beautiful and beautifully written. thanks for this!
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