He was a plain farmer. He was also an outcast and was the lowest class in society. He had one of the poorest paying jobs…if it paid at all. And he had to hide to protect himself.
It was an ordinary day like every other one. Just another.Long.Day. He rose with the sun and went to work in a pit under some nearby trees so he wouldn’t be seen by the upper and middle classes who’d hurt him just because they didn’t think he was good enough or worthy for anything. He had to work quietly so they wouldn’t be able to find him.
But he didn’t know this day would be different. This day was the beginning of a day that would not be soon forgotten. It was a day he would have never imagined.
He stopped to rest a moment to give his arms, shoulders and back a break from threshing wheat. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down.
Isn’t life like that sometimes? It becomes monotonous, even laboring, and the future doesn’t look too bright?
But as he went to get some shade under the big, rugged tree, to his startling surprise, a man was sitting there. But he wasn’t a man he had ever seen before. He’d never seen a man look like this man did.
He was different yet captivating. Was he an angel?
And to his surprise again, this stranger who showed up out of nowhere said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
Honestly, if it had been me, I probably would’ve laughed in his face.
“Me, a mighty warrior? Yeah, right. I don’t think so.”
But this visitor said, “Go in the strength you have and save your people from your enemies.”
Seriously?
He asked the stranger, “How can I save our country? Ours is the weakest of all. I don’t see how it can be done.”
Aren’t those words such an easy cop out to say? I don’t see how it can be done.
The Visitor simply, yet convincingly said again, “I’ll be with you. I promise.”
He’s starting to believe this visitor means what he’s saying. He realized this has become a divine moment. This once lavish and fruitful country he and his relatives were from had fallen to pieces and the people needed to be rescued and redeemed. Could this really be Someone who’d save them? This Someone could really use me to help?
He wanted to talk to this visitor in more detail and thank him for this intriguing charge he’s been given. This must be the Holy One. He wanted to feed him the best he could find and offer to him as a sign of gratitude. He wanted to know more about this invitation…or command.
So he tells this visitor, “Please don’t go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.”
The visitor said, “I will wait until you return.”
That’s what God said to Gideon and that’s what He says to each of us.
“I’ll wait.
For you.
I promise.
I’m not going anywhere until you come back to me.”
God cares enough to wait. For you. He promises. He’s not going anywhere until you come back to Him.
This Visitor – God – waited patiently as Gideon went and took the time to prepare him a meal with the best food he had. God had also told him he is a mighty warrior and wanted him to lead in a battle to rescue their country. God knows we’re not capable enough to win battles alone. But that’s where He’s comes in and is more than strong enough to cover for our weaknesses. Yet he still has confidence in us to do our part.
He realized that God did wait for him and that God sees strength in him. That’s how a plain ‘ole farmer led a small army into a big battle and came out conquerors.
And God has been continuing to wait until we come to the realization of how much He sees in us. He can use us to go into daily battles of busyness, stress, difficult relationships, addictions, worry of the fragility of our country and fear of Ebola by giving His believers strength and take our stand against the rulers and authorities of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. We have His promised victory and restoration of His kingdom.
To read Gideon’s journey Judges 6 – 8
See more Wait and See Series posts here
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