Lessons from Gideon

I've never really been an Old Testament girl. My Bible has always looked rather lopsided, with the New Testament well-worn and heavily underlined and the Old sitting sad and lonely with the majority of the marks of its use in Psalms. However, for my Old Testament college course, I am required to read a little under two-thirds of the OT. I made it through the Books of the Law with a little bit of difficulty, but I certainly learned things about our Lord's holiness. And the fact that He deeply cares about people who have accidentally killed someone (seriously, it's in there at least five times -- what a heart He has to protect them!).

A few days ago, my reading brought me to Judges. When I came to the story of Gideon, it was tempting to skim the story so that I could simply refresh my memory and get through more pages. But the Holy Spirit urged my heart to slow down and absorb every single line and verse of what I was reading. (This really has nothing to do with the point of this post, I just love the way God brings certain things to my attention -- He loves me, He loves me!)

Gideon had an enormous calling. He was called to rescue Israel from the hands of their enemies, the Midianites. And, like so many of us, he did not feel qualified for this calling. "But Lord," he protested, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family!"

I hear echoes of Gideon's protests in my own prayers. "I'm not old enough." "I'm not wise enough." "I'm not smart enough." "I don't have enough money." "I'm not very good at that; I really feel my gifting is in another area."

And here's what God says.

"Go in the strength you have and save Israel."

Not, "Oh, golly gee Gideon, you're right. I didn't think of that. I'll go find someone else. You keep hiding in your wine press."

Not, "Whoa, I see what you mean -- you're scrawny! Drop down and give me twenty! Bulk up a bit, and I'll come back when your biceps are big enough to handle this calling."

No. Not, "Go get more strength."

"Go in the strength you have."

Take what you have already... Give it to Me... And I will do the rest.

And then, to seal the deal, He reminds Gideon of something very important.

"Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"

Can't you see it? Why would you doubt? Why would you believe this is impossible? Are you forgetting who it is that asked you to go?

Is it not the Creator of the Universe who calls us?

The Almighty Savior who conquered death?

The ever-present Friend who longs to be near and hear our every prayer?

Is it not an all-powerful, loving, beautiful LORD who sends us?

"I will be with you," He continues, "and you will strike down all the Midianites."

All of them.

And He will be with us!

Do not wait, my friend, and do not worry! Do not consider yourself unqualified! Go in the strength you have -- and He will fight for you. Step out in faith, willing to be used, no matter how small and insignificant you feel. (Not only did Gideon feel unqualified, but once he obeyed anyway, God actually made him decrease the number of fighting men he had with him!)

If I had enough strength to do things on my own, this life would be about me. But it's not about me. It's about Him.

So I commit to go...in the strength I have. Not worrying about tomorrow. Not worrying about failure. May we claim the victory that has already been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. May we live in the freedom won by the Cross, sealed by our Commander in heaven!

The God Who Hears

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!" ~Matthew 7:11

I like flowery language. I like my prayers to sound profound. I like to use big words, and have my language flow, and sound overall very smart.

I was in the middle of one such smart-sounding prayer the other night when an image flashed through my mind with a force that made me completely forget what I had just been praying about.

I was sitting on the floor -- not even kneeling, really, just sitting -- and in front of me was a Man in a chair, leaning forward, listening intently to everything I was saying.

And when that image flashed into my mind, I no longer had anything to say.

I've talked to a fair number of people in my lifetime, and there is nothing that bothers me more than when the person I'm talking to isn't really listening. And let's face it -- most of the time, people aren't really listening. They have other things on their mind. They're wondering who sent the text that just buzzed in their pocket. They're thinking, "Oh my gosh, would this Kendall girl please just shut up!"

And I think that's how I approach God as a talker. I talk without really believing He's intently listening. I know He can hear me, and probably some divine stenographer is writing down everything I say to bring it to His attention later. As a result, it's far less frequent than it should be that I really experience God's presence as I'm praying.

But once again, I have approached everything with the wrong attitude: Believing that it's all about me.

Prayer is not about me talking.

It's about God listening.

It's about an amazing Heavenly Daddy who, when you whisper "Dear God" in the back of your mind, leans forward. He is incredibly eager to hear what you have to say. He's incredibly eager to meet you, right then and there, while you're talking. He listens. With 100% of His attention (God has a lot of attention).

Prayer is about God listening. I wish I would have understood that years ago. If God didn't exist... If God didn't have the power to change circumstances, to change hearts, to change my heart... What good would prayer be? Could I change the world with prayers directed at an empty heaven, no matter how flowery?

Moreover, since God is so gracious to listen with undivided attention to me...should I not give the same undivided attention to Him when He speaks?

"Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." ~Isaiah 65:24