Wednesday, September 24, 2014

"mighty man of valor"

In Hebrews 11, the author includes Gideon as a man of faith. This has always left me confused.

When God shows up, Gideon blames God for Israel's suffering and oppression. He retells Israel's history of redemption, then accuses God of forsaken His people. Gideon fails to understand Israel's repeated failure to uphold the covenant. He disregards Israel's idolatry and unfaithfulness. Instead, he blames God.

On repeated occasions, Gideon makes God "prove" himself. He asks for a sign that it is really God who is speaking with him. Later, he wants God to wet a fleece with the morning dew, and then keep it dry the next morning. And after being given every affirmation, Gideon still needs to hear his enemies' fear before he is willing to fight against them.

Every single time faith was demanded of Gideon, he seemed to shrink back. His faith rarely seemed very faith-like.

So how does he get included in Hebrews 11?

I am still not completely sure, but what I started noticing was the amazing compassion of God towards Gideon. God demonstrated the heart of a loving Father towards His weak and feeble son.

After being accused of abandoning His people, God tells Gideon "But I will be with you." After being asked for a sign, God sends fire from a rock to consume Gideon's gift. God meets each of Gideon's proposals with the fleece without saying a word.

And the dream followed by its interpretation?

Gideon never asked for this. "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...And you shall hear what they say, and afterwards your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp" (Judges 7:9-11).

God saw Gideon's weak faith and strengthened it. He gave His servant exactly what he needed exactly when he needed it. God was not angry, critical, or condescending. He poured out His love and compassion upon Gideon. He was not obliged to do it. He willingly and freely gave it.

Therefore, Gideon's faith was strengthened. And he did exactly what God called and equipped him to do.

I am not sure if I can find greater encouragement than that. I am Gideon. My faith is childish more than it is child-like. Yet God continually pours out His grace to me. He calls me to come and ask, but even when I don't He shows Himself the most faithful of fathers.