Read: Judges 7:1-15; Psalm 103 14
The NFL season for the year is now in the record books. Of course, the Chicago Bears' outcome was pretty much a foregone conclusion before the leaves had completely dropped from the trees. Even so, I did enjoy the Super Bowl, especially since I watched part of it over the phone with a friend. The fun thing about it was that the feed she was watching was about a minute behind the one that showed the game at my home. That meant I could play announcer. I could tell her what would happen next in the game or who was being interviewed on the sidelines before she experienced it. We laughed about that; however, in truth I wouldn't really want to know what is going to happen here on earth ahead of time.
However, there was a time where God showed His servant not what would happen in the future, but what was happening in the present. Why? To reassure him. I love this little vignette because it reminds me that God understands His children. That we are sometimes weak and are very much helped by His assurance which He provides in His way and in His time. With that in mind, let's look into Judges 7:1-15 where we will drop in on Gideon.
Right away we see that Israel was outnumbered by her enemies. So, what was God's battle plan concerning this deficit? Twice He thinned out the troops. First, the fearful ones were sent home. After that, God lessened the number of fighting men by weeding out those who knelt down to drink. Keeping those who lapped water like a dog. With the use of these tactics, the army was reduced to only 300 men, Judges 7:7. Gideon had begun with 32,000 to fight against an army that probably was in excess of 100,000, Judges 8:10. We're told why God used this very unusual tactic. He knew His people. He knew that if they were victorious with 32,000 men, they would grab the credit, Judges 7:2. They would boast that their own power had brought about the victory.
It was after God thinned the ranks that the part of the story that means a lot to me occurred. In Judges 7:8-15, God reached out to Gideon. Unlike the incident earlier in Gideon's story where Gideon asked God for reassurance through a fleece. This time, God offered reassurance to His man. The Lord was the One Who initiated it. God held out this gift because He knew His servant Gideon. The Lord wanted to reassure Gideon that victory was certain. How? God told him that He could go into the enemy camp and that in doing so, he would be encouraged.
I can picture Gideon and his servant sneaking into the camp. What did they hear? One man telling his friend about his strange dream. A loaf of barley bread had crashed into a tent with enough force to take out the tent. The friend gave the dreamer the meaning of that strange dream. It wasn't too much spicy food. No, in a nutshell it meant that it was all over for the Midianites. Gideon would take them out. Gideon's reaction? Great encouragement. He had come at just the right time into the enemy camp so he could receive God's assurance, and he encouraged his men with it too. Who but God could orchestrate that!
I think I love this glimpse into God's dealing with Gideon because it is yet another example of God's grace. Yes, Gideon had been told that he would be the one God would use to save Israel from her enemies. Yet, God let him know that if he were fearful, he could be encouraged by going into the Midianite camp. Grace. God didn't chide Gideon for any reticence he might have had; instead, He reassured him.
This incident reminds me that it is not only Gideon whom God knows. He also knows us. I love the reminder in Psalm 103:14. He knows how we are made. That we are but dust. It is not a demeaning thing that He says about us; instead, it is a reminder that the Lord knows our frailties and limitations. He knows our vulnerabilities and how much we need His grace. Even if at times, we might feel like we can take on more than we actually can. The Lord knows what might ensnare us, and He knows the grace we so need to match up with the trials we face. How sweet it is to know that Someone knows us, and that This Someone is Creator/Redeemer. He knows that like Gideon, we often need His reassurance, and He knows how and when we might be the vehicle of that reassurance for someone else.
What about us? Perhaps this week, the Holy Spirit will use us to encourage a "Gideon" in our paths. Perhaps that person will go out and lift up someone else. It is all God's doing. He deserves all the praise because He is the One Who knows not only the future but all that is going on right now.
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