The Lord Is With You Even When It Doesn’t Feel Like It

The Israelites would plant crops, build homes, eek out a livelihood, and their enemies from the East would come and ravage their land. God’s chosen people were beleaguered and discouraged. Yet in the midst of this battle, God assures a young man, Gideon, that He is there.

“When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”” Judges‬ ‭6:12‬ ‭

I love Gideon’s polite response. Boiled down to its essence, Gideon cries, “Say WHAT????”

““Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.””

‭‭Judges‬ ‭6:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How many times have we cried out in the midst of our terrible situation, “If you are with me Lord, why is all this happening to me???”

Don’t lie. You have said it too. You, like Gideon, have felt abandoned by God. What is worse, you have felt God disappear and disappoint right when you have most vigorously served Him. I have too. Why NOW God, of all times, after all your promises of all your wonders, have you deserted me? Gideon is not alone in that lament.

So many wonderful nuggets of truth are contained in this chapter as Gideon cries out in bewilderment and fear to God. 

First, does God answer when Gideon asks WHY?

NOPE.

I have learned in my decades of following God that He almost never, if ever, answers why questions. I try not to ask them anymore. 

“The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?””

‭‭Judges‬ ‭6:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God deflects the why of Gideon into a mission: Go and save your people as I am the one who sends you.

Gideon then begins the first in his series of NOT ME UNLESS YOU PROVE WHO YOU ARE statements.

“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.””

‭‭Judges‬ ‭6:14-15‬ ‭

At least Gideon is polite. I love how he says pardon me before each of his faithless challenges to God. I wondered why God never lost patience or smote him. If I were God, I probably would have at least had a hornet sting him. Instead, God kindly explains:  “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.””‭‭Judges‬ ‭6:16‬ 

Gideon is not satisfied that God will do what He says or even is who He claims to be. So he puts forth a condition upon his obedience: “Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.” Judges‬ ‭6:17‬ ‭

God, amazingly, agrees. Gideon asks God to wait while he gets an offering to place on the altar before God. 

Let me repeat that: WAIT HERE GOD while I go do what I need to do.

(Does this sound like something you or I would EVER do??? I know. Me too.)

Gideon brings an offering of a goat to the altar, God strikes the goat with fire and burns the offering and Gideon now recognizes he has indeed been speaking with God. You would think that would be the turning point for Gideon.

NOPE.

God then sends Him on his specific goal for the day - tear down the Baal worship pole, and erect an altar to God instead. Gideon does so...but apparently not right away. He is afraid so does it at night  when he won’t be seen rather than immediately in the light of day and of witnesses.

We never hide the fact that we are doing what we do in the name of the Lord. Right? Our family, friends, and neighbors are all awed by our boldness in walking with and proclaiming Jesus as Lord. Right?

Now God tells Gideon it is time to rise up against the enemies, the Midianites.  Gideon, filled with courage and faith after his recent obedient victory before God hurries fearlessly to do so.

NOPE.

He tests God yet again: “Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.””

‭‭Judges‬ ‭6:36-37‬ ‭

God smites Him now.

NOPE.

God complies. 

Palm slap to forehead. Really? The creator of the universe shrugs His almighty shoulders and does what Gideon asks.

NOW, at last, Gideon is convinced and will follow God unquestioningly to the ends of the earth.

NOPE.

“Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.”” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭6:39‬ ‭

God double smites him.

NOPE.

God agrees to do as Gideon requests...again.

This apparently satisfies Gideon at last and the next day, God tests Gideon’s faith by winnowing his army to a scant three hundred men. Gideon reportedly is done questioning, rallies his small troop, and defeats the Midianites.

God meets us where we are. I am not advocating fear or testing God before obeying Him. What I am suggesting is that in our weakness, we should not hesitate to approach God. He won’t let us remain as we are...His goal is to transform us. But He doesn’t wait for us to be transformed before He welcomes us and even uses us.

Amazing grace.