Gideon and Wool

Gideon’s story has many facets that I find interesting. First he tried to talk God out of choosing him.

And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. (Judges 6:15 KJV)

Just as He chose David, the least of his father’s sons, He chose Gideon.

Second, Gideon followed God’s instructions – but not openly in the daylight, nor alone, but trying not to be noticed:

Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. (Judges 6:27 KJV)

He tested God, and God responded. Not just once, he did it again.

Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. (Judges 6:37-40 KJV)

God tested Gideon, too. God wanted both Israel and the Midianites that the battle’s outcome was in His hands.

And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. (Judges 7:2 KJV)

Three hundred men were chosen – the others went home. God completed His plan to save Israel and let the people know He was the salvation.

How often do we live as Gideon? When have we turned down God’s ministries saying, “Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly. Get someone who is qualified.” Instead, we should allow God to qualify us.

How often do we test God? “If God will do [thus] I will do [so.]” Why isn’t it easy just to say, “Yes, I’ll do it.”

Finally, how often do we give God the credit? That is His glory – to give Him credit for what is accomplished. Instead, we pray, God responds – and we go about our business as usual, forgetting to thank Him.

Instead, we forget – just as Israel forgot Gideon, and His Lord, their God.

And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel. (Judges 8:34-35 KJV)

I call upon us all – remember, and thank God.

Gideon and Wool