Faith and Fleeces

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Opening Prayer

Lord, where my hand is closed, open it. Where my heart is shut, unlock it. Where my resolve is weak, strengthen it.

Read JUDGES 6:25-40

^[25] That same night the LORD said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. ^[26] Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.” ^[27] So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. ^[28] In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! ^[29] They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” ^[30] The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” ^[31] But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” ^[32] So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.” ^[33] Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. ^[34] Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. ^[35] He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them. ^[36] Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised- ^[37] 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.” ^[38] And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew-a bowlful of water. ^[39] 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.” ^[40] That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“The principle of guidance is not complicated; it is simplicity itself. It is that your life is always at the disposal of the Lord in order that he may work out his plans” (Alan Redpath 1907-1989).

Think Further

Gideon, having learned to obey bravely because he now believes, lays out his infamous fleece. Was that a good thing to do? Should we do the same kind of thing? Wasn’t he sinfully testing God? Wasn’t this a relapse into doubt?

Well, there’s doubt and there’s doubt. I think that for most of us many of the doubts that rise within us are actually self-doubts. They speak of our lack of confidence in ourselves. A while ago, a lady getting on to a train asked me “Is this the train to Inverness?” She had seen the signs clearly stating that it was the train for Inverness but she had the common nagging doubt. What she sought was not more reliable data, but simple reassurance; she doubted herself.

Gideon believed God, as shown by his obedience to the command to tear down the altar to Baal and build an altar to Jehovah; but he was also full of self-doubt: Have I got this right? Am I misreading the situation? So he set out his fleece and made his bizarre requests. God seemed to understand this. He answered Gideon’s requests patiently, kindly.

A lack of faith in ourselves is not a sin. It can lead to sin, but if self-doubt drives us to greater dependence on God, then it’s a good thing. If more of us recognized it more often, we might pray more! Faith is not to be confused with feeling self-confident. “Have faith in God,” said Jesus (Mark 11:22); and faith in God might be accompanied by almost crippling self-doubt. Ask most church leaders!

Apply

Have you ever resorted to “Gideon’s fleece”? What happened? Thank God for what you learned about God and about yourself.

Closing prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for understanding my self-doubt. Strengthen me and all Your children, especially my pastor(s) and the leaders in my church.

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