May 7 – Judges 6, Judges 7:1-8 John 5:16-30 Psalm 57:7-11

Judges 6:36-40

Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Sometimes we think Gideon was so unsure of himself that He wanted to test (and get in danger of over testing God). But actually Gideon has already taken a big step of faith before this incident with the fleece. 

He’d already made a stand by bringing down the altar of Baal – so let’s not be too hard on Gideon here. He didn’t doubt – but he wanted to be sure he’d heard God right.

It’s good to be sure. But if he’d not moved forward after this, he’d have been in error. If you are going to ask God for a sign be prepared to do what He asks when you get one.

Judges 7:8

So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

Gideon may have asked God twice – but at this point He is all in. God asks him to do things that in the natural make no sense. Any military handbook would tell you – reducing your army from 32,000 to 300 is NOT a good idea.

Even the famous 300 Spartans ended up dead.

But God wanted the right people and He wanted the glory for the victory – not the army. Not because God is a credit hog, but because if the people had a right picture of God they’d be less likely to wander from Him again.

Gideon never questions God here – He does as God instructs, even if He didn’t understand.

The church will never be build by using man’s methods or ideas. No leadership handbook can tell you to do the crazy things God asks. When we build on God’s orders rather than man’s advice and the church grows – God gets the glory.

John 5:19

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

Jesus did nothing on HIs own accord, but only what He saw the Father doing. He didn’t rush had of the father or bring His own ideas to the table, He was compelled dependant on the father.

If that’s true for Jesus, it should be even more true for us. We bring nothing to the table.

Any of our work for God must be what the father asks. We must do what we see the father do.

How do we know what that is? We ask. We wait. We listen and we watch. We don’t rush ahead of God. We don’t tell God all our good ideas, pick the one we like best and go ahead calling that “seeking God’s face”. No.

We wait on Him. We take time to hear His voice.