TRANSFORMED BY GOD’S CALL
Dylan Blanton
Today’s Scripture: “But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.” Judges 6:34, ESV
Theme: Gideon’s success in leading the Israelites was only because God provided power, confidence, and strength beyond his own.
HESITANT TO COMMIT
Have you ever felt like you needed to do something but you let doubt and fear get in the way? In my 20’s, I desperately needed a new car. I was driving a car that was nearly as old as I was, and it had so many issues. I was constantly having to get it fixed or towed. I was missing appointments and having to take days off of work to get my car working. I had been budgeting and planning for a while and I knew I could afford a car payment, but for some reason, signing the paperwork was just a big hang up for me.
For the first time in my adult life, I was committing to a long-term agreement, and it was terrifying! My family, my bank, and my friends all reassured me that it would work out, but for some reason I still doubted. Looking back now, I can see how silly that was to get so stressed about something so simple, but in the moment, it was a tough choice! Overcoming these types of worries is something that we see an example of in Gideon.
GIDEON DOUBTED, TOO
When we think of Gideon, we think of the guy that led 300 soldiers against an army of thousands. We think of him as a strong leader with incredible faith, but when we look at Judges 6, we can see that he really struggled with doubt as well. A literal angel appeared and called Him to action! In Judges 6:12-13 the angel of the Lord appears to Gideon and calls him a “mighty man of valor,” yet Gideon’s reply is one of questioning whether God was truly with them (the Israelites) or not. His next step was to make excuses for why he wasn’t good enough for the call (Judges 6:15). Then he even made the angel give him a sign to prove that he was really an angel of the Lord (Judges 6:18). This is one of the most relatable things in Scripture. It is so easy to get stuck on the negative and reasons why something isn’t possible for you. That is just human nature. However, God isn’t calling us because we have all the tools and knowledge to be a master of our craft. He is calling us because He will equip us for the work He wants us to do.
GOD PROVIDES
Gideon finally believed the angel and followed through with the task he was given. He broke down the altar of Baal, and things didn’t go great for him. In Judges 6:28-32, the people of his community were furious that he had broken down their altar and wanted him to be put to death! Then, an enemy army showed up and surrounded his land. In all of this chaos, God still promised to provide. Gideon followed the command he was given and blew the trumpet to call his people to help him defend their land. Those same people that were angry with him just days earlier recognized the call of the Lord on him and followed him!
Make It Personal: The call of the Lord can feel overwhelming, and sometimes you could feel like you can’t even begin to fulfill the calling God has placed on you. When I was first called into ministry, I didn’t feel prepared or smart enough to be a leader, but God had other plans! The moral of the story is that doubting and questioning are natural, and they can even lead to a strengthening of your faith, if you trust God to help you overcome them. Even the task you are called to seems out of reach, God will give you all that you need to fulfill it! He can turn weakness into strength, enemies into allies, and doubt into faith. We just have to trust Him and let Him take the lead. God is patient enough to help us overcome our doubts.
Pray: God, thank You for always being there for us. Thank You for giving us a purpose and calling to build Your Kingdom. We ask that when we see our inadequacies and weakness, that You would show us Your strength. Help us to trust You more and worry less. With Your help, we can meet the moment and fulfill our purpose. In Your Name, Amen!
Read: Judges 6:15-40
Weekly Memory Verse: “And the people of Israel said to the Lord, ‘We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.’ So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel.'” Judges 10:15-16, ESV