Gideon. This is a guy that I unfortunately understand. Fear is a big thing with me. Here is Gideon, the least of his clan, which was the least of his tribe. He is beating wheat in a wine press to hide it from the Midianites when the Lord approaches him. Though he is having a conversation when the angel of the Lord, possibly the LORD Himself, (as it says that the Lord turned to him to say), he doubts his calling to be the one to lead Israel out of its oppression. He was given a sign, fire leaping from a rock to consume his offering, and still he doubted. He could only destroy the altar to Baal by night, for he feared his own family. And after he destroyed the altar and escaped retribution from the Baal worshippers, he still went before the Lord to ask a sign, twice, that he should go up against the Midianites.
I feel this guy's pain. There are times when I think I may feel the Lord calling, or there may be something I think I am supposed to do, and I dither. Am I right? Do I understand the Lord right? How do I know if I should really speak here and now? How do I really know that I'm supposed to do this or that thing? I always feel so unsure. I've never been given the opportunity to set out a fleece, let alone twice. I cannot say I always feel confident that I am really hearing the Holy Spirit or that I have discerned what He is saying correctly. But one thing I am learning: it is by prayer and by seeking the Lord out on a consistent basis that I will learn to understand and recognize the Spirit's voice better. Just as the more you speak you a person, the more readily you recognize their voice when they call, the more I listen and seek the Lord, the better I would be able to hear Him when He speaks to me.
Tomorrow's Reading: Judges 7:1-8:21
No comments:
Post a Comment