Genuine Love is Generous

Is our love genuine?

Paul, when writing to the church in Corinth (2 Cor. 8) concerning the collection for the suffering saints in Jerusalem, drops this provocative thought in verses 8 and 9:

“I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

Just before, he told them of the already impoverished Macedonian church who in joy, gave generously to the Christians in Jerusalem, clearly meant as an example, a nudge. And he says that their actions, their attitude, their own voluntary, joyful generosity, will prove that their love is genuine. What a weighty statement.
Yet, he doesn’t leave them hanging under all that pressure; Paul quickly follows with the gospel. Christ left his own, personal comfort, wealth, abundance, blessings and came to earth. And if that weren’t enough of a culture-shock and downgrade, he descended further, living a life of poverty and homelessness. And as though he hadn’t been abased enough, he continued -he volunteered- to humble himself by enduring slander, abuse, persecution, wrongful death, and alienation from his Father, so that we could be heirs with him. So that we could share in the life he left. So that we could be reconciled with our Father. So we could experience comfort and spiritual wealth. So we could have victory over death and be empowered by God’s grace and spirit.
So we could go and do likewise.

It is because of God’s forgiveness of our sins that we can forgive others. It’s because of God’s longsuffering with us that we can endure and strive patiently with our neighbors and brothers and sisters. And it’s because of God’s love and grace towards us that we can liberally love and give to others without fear.

There are many ways to give today, and although the collection plate is the obvious one, it isn’t the only one. Often there are many needs around us. Can we give money? Can we provide meals? Visits? Can we lower our standard of living so that others might have their needs met? Can we support missions or foreign needs? Can we set aside a collection at home so that when tragedy strikes others, we have extra to supply?

“For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” 8:13-15

By God’s grace we’ve been empowered to live out for others what Christ has done for us. And if we aren’t doing so, is our love, is our faith, genuine? Or do we need to re-ignite our zeal with reminders and deeper understandings of the gospel?

Reading: 1 Sam 15-16, Ps 119:41-48, 2 Cor 7-8

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Word of the Lord, Lord of the Word

As we trek through the longest psalm (and chapter) in the Bible – Psalm 119 – we’re probably starting to realize this entire chapter is about the Bible, basically. It’s a poem about the glorious word of the Lord, God’s divine revelation to man, without which we would fail to grasp him. Martin Luther once wrote about this psalm, “In this psalm David always says that he will speak, think, talk, hear, read, day and night and constantly – but about nothing else than God’s Word and Commandments. For God wants to give you His Spirit only through the external Word.” Luther nails it when he grasps the fact that the single story we’re reading in the longest chapter of the Holy Book is all about David steeping his life in the cup of YHWH’s word! Would that we were just as saturated.
My question is simple: Do we have a profound love for God’s word – a love like David’s? If anything, we should – and even more so than David. See, because we understand something that David didn’t. We perceive clearly something that was at best a haze in David’s mind: The good news of Jesus Christ, David’s descendant – the one who fulfills the Word of the Lord by appearing as the Lord of the Word.

Here’s how Paul puts in our New Testament text this morning – 2Co.5.21, 14-15: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” and “For the love of Christ compels us…he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” Simply put, the good news of Jesus Christ unveiled for us living today, that is, the news of our deliverance by his love when he absorbed the wrath of God against our sin, in our place, on the cross ought to compel us to him – and his Word. In other words, we even more than David should come to the Word of the Lord that we might better grasp the Lord of the Word.

Let’s confess. We know it ought to be true of us, but sometimes it’s hard to keep consistent in our devotional life. If you want a few pointers on how to engage God’s word on a more consistent basis, try these out for size:

1. Choose a reading plan. As you know, we’re following the ESV Outreach Bible Reading Plan on our blog – but you can choose whatever suits your particular schedule. Just as long as you’re carving out time – say, 30 minutes? – you’ll do fine.
2. Ask questions of the text. Bible reading is unprofitable unless you’re engaging it with inquiry. Ask of the text, “How can I praise God for this?”; “What am I thanking for?”; “How can I apply it?”; “What can I confess?”; “What might God be showing me in this text today?” – and then your answers to God in prayer.
3. Pray that God would open your eyes to what’s written. ‘Nuff said.
4. Go out and do it. The purpose of reading the Bible is always obedience (Mt.7.21-27).

If you adopt these practices into your life, I’m certain that your thirst for God’s word will only grow greater; then your next question will be how to put the book down!

Scripture: 1Sa.14; Ps.119.33-40; 2Co.5-6

Struck Down, But Not Destroyed

Okay, I confess. I cheated and took the title from a chapter that isn’t in today’s reading. I hope you’ll read along anyway:

Some of our favorite stories are of people who rise above the depths of their childhood darkness. We are in awe of people who not only endure tremendous pain, but who come out stronger and kinder and successful, people like Louis Zamperini whose trauma as a prisoner of war was followed in the recent film ‘Unbroken’.
Yet at the same time, we probably know a family member or friend, or maybe it’s ourselves who buckle under difficulty, lash out at others, withdraw permanently, those who have now adopted a negative, critical view of life and others, who are engulfed in bitterness and hurt. So, are some people just better when it comes to enduring affliction?

I wouldn’t say so, and I don’t think Paul would either. I think perspective and hope make all the difference – and how much greater the difference when our perspectives and hopes are rooted in Christ.

Many of us Christians know certain truths – we have a ‘head knowledge’ about what suffering is, what the purpose of it might be, how to endure. We’ve read 2 Corinthians 1 and highlighted verses like “…the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our afflictions” or “ For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too” or “But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” or “On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”

Yet it isn’t until we’re broadsided by difficulty that we can begin the process of transferring that head-knowledge to functional heart-knowledge. The question isn’t whether we’re strong enough or good enough to endure or whether we just have an outstanding character or  we’re magically-equipped for life, the question is whether we’ll continue to draw close to the One who is strongest, the only One good enough, the One who can deliver us and comfort us and transform us.

Oftentimes, it’s those very difficulties we want to be rid of that are actually our gateway into a deeper communion with God, and a greater maturity as his children. When trials come, we all can see those ugly traits that have been hiding within the recesses of our hearts. So, if we’re feeling discouraged not only because of our circumstances, but also because of how we’ve been reacting to them, we can take heart. That’s precisely what God wants us to notice. He’s not surprised – though we might not have realized our weaknesses, he’s always seen them, and suffering can be a tool of God to bring those weaknesses into our line of vision. He doesn’t want us to be paralyzed, but rather motivated to pray, reflect, and rely on him for growth.  Nevertheless, enduring suffering well may include very long periods of much sorrow, depression, tears, “despairing of life”, it may mean confusion and setbacks and frustration. We don’t need to hinder our progress by feeling guilt over where we are in our growth. Let’s simply focus on one day at a time, and make our goal each day to simply abide in Christ.

His will is for us to come out stronger and better through trials, but never by our own doing or as a cause for boasting. God is not waiting to discover which person we’ll be, which category we’ll fall into, he’s waiting for us to discover him and what he will do through us if we’ll humbly allow.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Today’s Reading:  1 Sam 9-10, Psalm 119:17-24, 1 Cor 16- 2 Cor 1

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All the Earth Rejoice

“Praise the Lord, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!“

Psalm 117

Two verses, the shortest Psalm, yet the greatest message. A message for all mankind.

Great is his steadfast love towards us, and His faithfulness endures forever.

The Psalmist focuses on two powerfully comforting and encouraging and universal truths about our Lord: He loves us. He loves us with a patient, unending, constant love. A love that endured throughout Israel’s dark history, as we’ve explored, and continues to endure today, despite our failures. A love that isn’t even confined to one people, but to all. A love that resulted in God condescending to us, once literally, and an infinite amount of times figuratively, so that he could initiate our salvation and work in our lives when we fall short. His love is great.

And his faithfulness endures. God is trustworthy and loyal on top of his fervent love, and he has made great promises to those who trust in him. He promises to redeem and transform all who believe and are baptized, all who humble themselves before him. God promises to complete his work in us. God promises to make sense of the suffering in the end. God promises to comfort us, to give us peace, wisdom, love. He promises forgiveness, he promises an avenue of communication with him, he promises purpose and meaning. He promises his spirit. He promises to draw near to us as we draw near to him. He promises to execute justice. He promises an afterlife, a world, a body, without blemish, without pain, without sin and corruption and death. He promises us an inheritance.

And if contemplating the depth of his attributes and his promises causes you to say “Praise the Lord!” as well, don’t you think that you’re then holding the good news, the great news, that must be delivered to all people and all nations?

As Christians in America, we must consider often how we’re doing in the area of getting his message out, the greatest message. Maybe we aren’t in a position to leave the country. Maybe we can do more to reach out to our family, friends, and neighbors. Maybe we all can always do more.

But, maybe we are in a position to leave the country. Maybe we are and we don’t even realize it…because we haven’t considered it.

William Borden, as he reflected on the numbers of Christian workers in the U.S. as compared to those among unreached peoples in China once said:

“If ten men are carrying a log — nine of them on the little end and one at the heavy end — and you want to help, which end will you lift on?”

Nevertheless, regardless of who you are, where you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going:

Praise the Lord!

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How About That Head Covering?

Today’s reading includes 1 Corinthians 11, the home of the controversial head covering passage.

In the church you can find all sorts of people: women with long hair, women with short hair, women who wear coverings, those who don’t, men with long hair and men with short and men who remove their hats during prayer.

We’re actually not going to lay out the answer to what might be right in this article. Instead we’re going to ask ourselves: have we studied this passage? Where do we stand? Why did we come to that conclusion?

I’ve met those who had never realized the first 16 verses of 1 Corinthians 11 were in the Bible. I’ve met those who had been told it was simply a cultural thing, took the teacher at their word and that was it – never exploring the rebuttals to that claim. I’ve met those who have studied extensively and hold the position that the hair is the covering and therefore women must have long hair and men shouldn’t. And those who have studied extensively and concluded that women must wear an additional covering. And then those who have studied extensively and concluded that not only do you need a covering, it needs to be long. And those who have studied extensively and don’t believe it applies today.

What I want to do today is provoke you to read and study the Bible, seek out opposing views, pray, whether it’s over the head covering or any topic you’ve been presented with that you’re unsure about.

The truth is, most people I’ve met who talk about their journey in understanding 1 Corinthians 11 reveal that at some point or another, they’ve held nearly every position. Understanding changes, knowledge deepens over time. The best we can do is make sure we’re at least trying to seek wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. Over and over God conveys that it is the humble and willing heart he seeks, and therefore there is grace for error. But a humble and willing heart seeks and listens and will change and grow, that’s the key. Are we humble seekers?

How about this one: are we treating the scriptures impartially? One thing I can say about this passage is that it is just as simply and clearly stated as other controversial verses which we typically defend and practice today, especially those concerning the roles of women which some also see as being cultural.

So, here’s the conclusion:

Can we answer why we do what we do, why we believe what we believe? Is our faith, is the Bible, our compass as we go through the paths of our lives? Do we consult it? Do we test all things?

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” – 1 Peter 2:2

“But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Today’s reading: Ruth 2-4, Ps 117, 1 Cor 11

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A Series of Unfortunate Events

Three whole nauseating chapters that can be summed up with “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

We’re talking about Judges 19-21. Rather than delving into a lengthy commentary (believe it or not, this could be even longer!), we’re just going to look at what went wrong:

1. First up, the Levite doesn’t take his father-in-laws invitation to stay the night before heading home with the young woman. “Behold, now the day has waned toward evening. Please, spend the night…But the man would not spend the night.” First lesson, don’t stay out after dark. Okay, I had to fit some levity in here since everything else is so depressing.

2. Second, the cringe-worthy response of the old man to the “men of the city” who desired to rape his male guest. “No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly…do not do this vile thing. Behold, here are my virgin daughter and his concubine…Violate them and do with them what seems good to you, but against this man do not do this outrageous thing.” A tragedy of moral confusion and complete degradation of women.

3. The men of the city didn’t even take him up on his offer, so the Levite saves himself by seizing his concubine and making her go out to them. The Levite is only concerned with himself, even at the horrific expense and abuse of others.

4. The men of the city abused her all night until the morning. There is no one willing to help.

5. In fact, her master sleeps soundly, wakes, gets ready and only when he’s going out the door does he see her lying at the door of the house and callously says, “Get up, let us be going.” He is deprived of compassion for the weak and abused.

6. He then takes her home after no response and cuts her up into 12 pieces and sends them out to the tribes of Israel. Was the Levite outraged because his ‘wife’ was violated? What an equally brutal way to respond. More likely, he seems yet again, concerned with himself and his honor.

7. Next, he embellishes the story in front of the assembly, making himself sound like an innocent victim. “…They meant to kill me, and they violated my concubine, and she is dead…” I don’t know which theme is more prevalent at this point: the degradation of women, or concern with self.

8. And they take him at his word and unite against Benjamin. No investigation, no consulting God. Now begins the rash decisions.

9. They rashly take an oath that “No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.” (21:1) Hasty, emotion-driven decisions.

10. To add to it all, the Benjamites refuse to offer up the guilty men. They protect the wicked.

11. They kind of consult God, except rather than asking if they should nearly wipe out a whole tribe or not, they simply ask who should fight first. God is treated as a secondary advisor, not as a leader.

12. …they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. And they said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?” Maybe this doesn’t belong on a list of wrongdoings, but it’s certainly note-worthy. It’s Israel’s entire departure from seeking God and more directly, their own recent decisions apart from God that landed them in this situation. They are blind to their weaknesses.

13. Panicked that Benjamin might cease to exist, but their hands tied by the oath, they come up with the totally legit idea to destroy whichever city didn’t come to the meeting at Mizpah, but save their virgins and gift them to the Benjamite men. Maybe two wrongs do make a right?

14. Unfortunately, there are still 200 men without wives, so the congregation has to get creative again. So, they come up with a manipulative plan to kidnap the daughters of Shiloh during the feast of the Lord. Corruption breeds corruption.

Indeed, in those days there was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in his own eyes. In their quest for justice for one raped and murdered woman, the Israelites managed to nearly wipe out a tribe, murder a whole city and abduct and rape girls of two Israelite towns.

Things can escalate quickly and chaotically when we forget God, when we consult our own feelings and selves for decisions. And the longer we stay in corruption, the more callous we’ll become. And the further we get from the gospel and from abiding in Christ, the more we’ll fall into traps of oppression and degradation of those who are weaker or different. The more we’ll justify our behaviors. The more we’ll lose our compassion. The more destruction we’ll create. And the blinder we’ll become. Judges as a whole demonstrates these truths through Israel’s dark history.

Truthfully, Israel did have a king. But they weren’t content to recognize Him.
We have the same King, and He is one who abhors oppression, protects the weak, empowers women, guides mankind, provides for His children, punishes the predatory, exposes the wicked, comforts the abused, promises us rest, bears our burdens, enables each of us to grow, frees us from sin, teaches us to love and serve and live for Him and for others.

Will we center ourselves, our actions, our lives, our beliefs around that King?

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Purposeful Praise

Do we take time to praise God in our prayers? Do we ever pray for the sole purpose of expressing awe and love? Where does our mind drift when we look up in the sky, or look down at an intricately designed plant or when we steal just moments of peaceful quiet with a beautiful view, cup of coffee, and book in hand?

Are any of our prayers simply about God? To God? For God? In light of God?

Psalm 111 shares 10 short verses revealing the beauty of God, and I believe we would all do well to incorporate this purposeful praise into our daily conversations with our Father. Let’s break it up into 4 themes:

1. Thanksgiving

The Psalmist not only thanks God with his whole heart, but in the company of others. What is he thankful for? Read on!

2. Observance

He says that all who delight in the works of the Lord, study them. Do we study the ‘handiwork’ of God? Do remember what it’s like to be fascinated by creation? How refreshing to be purposeful and present throughout the hours by taking note and thanking God for the daily miracles of nature. They surround us, always.

3. Remembrance

The Israelites were instructed to teach and bring to remembrance the justice and mercy of God throughout the day, to tell the story over and over again of how He delivered them. Are we diligent to remember not only the creative works of God, but the redemptive? If we need refreshing, do we return to the scriptures to learn again of His provision and His covenant? He is working mightily in us, always.

4. Fear

“Holy and awesome is his name! The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.” – v.10 Do we praise God, knowing that He is…God? Holy and awesome and just and full of wisdom and mercy? What a needed perspective-changer during our hectic, self-focused days, that over time will actually lead us into the abundant vineyard of God’s wisdom. He is the sovereign God, always.

There’s simply no better ending than for us to say together with the Psalmist: His praise endures forever!

Today’s reading: Judges 10-11, Psalm 111, Romans 16 – 1 Corinthians 1

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Shall I Leave My Abundance?

“When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you. The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’ And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’ And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’  Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’ And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’” – Judges 9:7-15

This might be one of the first parables told in the Bible. Jotham, Gideon’s youngest son, is warning Israel against choosing the corrupt Abimelech (the lowly, thorny, useless bramble) as their king. But this is also an illustration of Israel itself, and it is always beneficial to learn from history, so let’s take a look.

Israel, the trees, was always desperate for a physical king, not satisfied with God alone, and wanting to blend in with the nations around them. In just the last chapter, something very similar to this parable happened (though Gideon’s response didn’t turn out to be entirely sincere, unfortunately):

“The Israelites said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us — you, your son and your grandson — because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.’
But Gideon told them, ‘I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.‘”

Now, the trees Jotham chooses as examples are symbols of the already great privileges afforded to Israel by God, and are familiar figures throughout scripture, but to save time, the obvious conclusion is that these fruit-bearing trees were content with their God-given duties, abundance, provision, and being ruled by God. They were utterly satisfied resting in Him. And the proper response for God’s people should have been “The Lord will rule over us.”

But not just because that was what God had purposed for His people, rather His people should actually delight so much in their Heavenly Father, that nothing in this world could entice them away. Physical circumstances aside – we’re not talking physical wealth or comfort or health – God’s people should be characterized by a deep love and desire for Him, a satisfaction with Him. We should be so spiritually rich that we would reply, “Shall I leave my abundance…?” when the world calls us to its own luxuries or privileges.

Thankfully, by God’s grace, it’s not on our shoulders to produce that overwhelming joy and love for God: He has promised us such depth if only we abide. When we abide in His word and in prayer each and every day, He will give us spiritual fruit beyond our comprehension.

“Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” – 1 Corinthians 10:11

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Which Body Part Are You?

Sorry, this isn’t a Buzzfeed quiz. But you still might learn something exciting about yourself if you stick around:

Our reading today included the richly encouraging Romans chapter 12. We’re going to focus on the middle section:

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Most of this passage is about the members and their different gifts and abilities, but how does it begin? With a call to humility and sober judgment. It is one thing to pay lip service to the fact that we are all different and all equally necessary in the living, active church. But functionally, do we own that humility when some members aren’t talented in the public areas of teaching or leading or singing? Do we scoff at those who are gifted differently? Do we complain about those in public positions like eldership or teaching or preaching when they don’t meet our standards? Do we show favoritism to those who are gifted similarly, or even worse, do we imagine that if only everyone was like us, then we’d have an impressive and working congregation?

The church is called a body for a reason. Consider your own body for a moment, and consider the intricate and complex differences and systems. Consider the big impressive ones like your brain, hands, eyes…the ones that get all the credit. But then consider the pinky toe, the liver, the sternum, the nose. Can any one, single body part boast? Could all parts be molded into just one of those obvious ones and still be efficient all by itself?

The truth is we are all different, and that difference is assigned by God which means it is both worthy of respect and also not of ourselves; we can’t boast about something which was given to us. The other truth is that we are all incomplete and God assigned us to each other to help each other grow, cultivate, and complement those differences for God.
So, what are your gifts? Maybe you’ve accurately concluded that you aren’t the type to lead singing, or teach adults or children, or hold a certain office, or preach.

Do we stop there and think that’s all there is to do? I hope not!

Our faith isn’t confined to Sundays, so our service doesn’t have to be defined by Sundays either- can you encourage those who are weak or struggling throughout the week? Can you open up your home for those on the outskirts? Can you develop friendships with the youth and lead them by your example? Can you help with communion, or cleaning? Are you particularly gifted in leading others from your workplace or neighborhood or family to Christ? Are you an older woman who can take the younger women under their wing and help them learn to guide and serve their family?

The first step is to appreciate the different roles. The next step is to find your own role. And the final step is to make sure your talent isn’t collecting dust while you pursue other things.

“For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
” – 1 Corinthians 4:7

Participation: In what ways have you learned humility and grace as you’ve worked with the other members of this body?

Do You See What God Sees?

In Judges 6 and 7 we read of a guy to which some of us might be able to relate: Gideon.

Over just two chapters we see five displays of fear from Gideon, and we’re not counting the God-fearing kind. Throughout Gideon’s incredible story, even after testing God and finding reassurance in Him, we see his cautious, fearful personality ever-present. There is of course a lesson in that fact itself: God can and does do great things through weak, even fearful people.

But an even more encouraging lesson is how God personally handles Gideon’s shortcomings. Let’s look at five comforting and motivating responses of God:

1. Patience

You may know the story. Gideon is approched by an angel who reveals to him that he will defeat the Midianites. Gideon then tests God to be sure it is truly him. Then later on he tests God to be sure He really meant what He said. Then right after that he tests Him once more, while pleading, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more.”

Yet throughout the whole narrative, there is no hint of anger towards this cautious, perhaps weak-in-faith man, from God. He leads him step-by-step.

2. Encourages

“The Lord is with you”, “But I will be with you”, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” Hand-in-hand with the patience of God is His comfort and encouragement. It’s as though He meets Gideon where he is and then:

3. Supplies

He supplies where there is lack. In fact, this might be one of God’s favorite things to do. God does not need you to be fearless, but humble. The weaker, like Gideon’s army, the better, because then His strength can shine through us.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9

4. Accommodates

Even more amazing is the story of how God accommodates the interesting requests of Gideon. I loved the concession He even makes towards the end of chapter seven:

“Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.”

Can you guess which option our guy Gideon chooses?

5. Sees

Finally, God sees what we cannot. He sees our potential; the potential we have in Him. And that potential is always great, for each of us, because of the very fact that it comes from God and not ourselves.

“The Lord be with you, O mighty man of valor!” is the greeting Gideon receives as he’s hiding out by the winepress at the beginning of our story. The words seem unfitting then, yet by the end there is no better description.

God saw in Gideon what he himself could not. And Gideon had the humility and heart to allow God to work in him, even if he did so with much fear.

Will we?