What Is Happening?

What is happening? Gideon is one of the more familiar accounts from the Judges.  Gideon is the man that God raises up to deliver Israel from their oppressor, the Midianites.  Notice that the beginning of each of these accounts in judges start with, “The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judges 6:1).  It is only after God hands them over to an enemy and they are oppressed for a period of time that they cry out to God for deliverance.  In our reading today, God calls Gideon to raise up and deliver His people.  But Gideon says, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened?  And where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about?” (Judges 6:13).  In response to these questions, God tells Gideon “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the grasp of Midian.  I am sending you” (v.14).  When the tides of blessings are all around us, it can be easier to go for the Lord.  However, when we look around and do not see all of those blessings or God’s favor, our faith can be challenged, as it was with Gideon.  God does not always call us to minister in favorable conditions.  Yet, when God calls us to a task, we must learn to trust that He will provide.