This is fifth in a series of Thursday devotionals on Gideon...
After we’ve dealt with our baggage, after we’ve unloaded all our doubts and fears on God, we have to step out in faith. Gideon was able to do that—which I think is what lands him in Hebrews 11 with all the other great people of faith. God told him to tear down his own father’s altar to Baal—he was afraid of the people in town, he was afraid of his family, but he did it—he did it at night when nobody was around—but he did it.
God told him to sound the trumpet and rally the Israelites to battle, he was afraid—he was full of questions—but he put air in that horn and he rallied the people.
God told him to send all but 300 of the 32,000 soldiers that showed up for battle home—he did it, this time with no questions asked.
God told him to break his small army into three groups and attack the Midianite camp with nothing but trumpets, torches and jars—and he did that too, no questions asked (Judges 7:15-18).
Each time Gideon overcame his baggage, overcame his fears, he learned something about trusting God. With only 300 soldiers, he partnered with God to route over 100,000 Midianites and rescued Israel from their tormentors. Each time God asked him to do something, Gideon had fewer and fewer doubts, and greater and greater confidence.
When God gives us a call—a call to ministry, a call to share our faith with our neighbor or person in the cubicle next to us, a call to a new career, a call to fix a broken relationship, a call to some task in his Kingdom, we may have questions and that’s okay, but ultimately we have get out of the boat—we have to take the first step. And each time we do, we grow in our own trust in God’s leading and we gain confidence in our ability to live in God’s strength.
Is there a decision you’re holding out on? Have you heard from God very clearly, but you just can’t get started? Whatever you’re hearing from God, no matter how big it is, or how small it may seem, whatever he is impressing upon your heart, that’s the most important step you can take. Life’s with God is an adventure, an awesome journey of great things, experiences, really cool stuff, if we just do what God asks us to do. If we step out and follow his lead.
