God Uses All Our Questions And Weaknesses For His Good If We Are Obedient

Judges 6:15 – 18 -   “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”  The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”  Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.”

Israel had cycled once again into a time of rebellion against God…forgetting his power …trying to find their needs met by the other gods around them. So God allowed their choices to result in another time of captivity. It took only 7 years this time for them to realize their need to have God in their life again.

God began to speak to man named Gideon… a man by his own omissions… that was from the weakest tribe of Israel….and the least of his own clan. He was bold with the angel that came to deliver the news that God was going to put him in charge of the army…and send him to fight against their latest captors.  He asked why….and lifted up a few excuses…even boldly asked God twice for signs that it really was God …asking him to do something so out of the realm he ever thought his life would take him.

It is a reminder to me that God can use anyone to do his work. Many times are recorded in our Bible where God used prostitutes like Rahab…murderers like Moses…. and runaways like Jonah to do mighty things. The signs that God was really in charge were all different….but the results after each one believed and became obedient were the same. 

It’s also a reminder that it is okay to ask God questions…to ask him to manifest his love in such a tangible way to our hearts that we become passionate to share his love and truth with the world.  God knew the questions…the excuses…the doubts we had before we even realized we had them. He was working a plan to solidify our faith even before we knew that we needed it.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you choose to use the weakest of people to do your work. Thank you for the love that is so patient with us that you listen to our questions…even sending us signs of your existence to help us understand. Forgive me for the times that I let my excuses and lack of confidence keep me from being obedient.  Help me to recognize the signs you send to solidify my faith...and the still quiet voices you send to tell me what to do.   Amen.