I've mentioned before that I am not preacher and have no training in theology and so I apologize for any inaccurate interpretation of scripture.
I was doing my bible study this morning and was reading over a study written for me by a patient. I had asked him about his thoughts on the Holy Spirit and in his wisdom he gave me a study he had written. I was reading a group of old testament scripture tied together by the subject of the purpose of the Holy Spirit in the old testament. I came to this scripture for the pure academic study of the Holy Spirit but found more about the work of the Holy Spirit in my life over the last 5 years.
When you mention the name Gideon in the church, many will say, as I have, yeah, the guy with the fleece. After reading the story of Gideon in Judges 6 and 7 I see that Gideon is the unfolding story of the Robinsons.
In our search for God's will over the last month, we have often been heard saying "We want God to show us a wet fleece". At times this made me feel unfaithful. I want to recap the story of Gideon to illustrate what I'm getting at.
The people of Israel were living in caves because the Midianites had oppressed them and continually raided their crops and herds. Obviously in order to provide for their people the Isaelites were doing their work in hiding, as God finds Gideon doing in opening of the story. "Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites." The angel of the Lord said to him (paraphrased) "Get up warrior and deliver the people of the Lord from the enemy." The angel tells Gideon that the Lord will go ahead of him and strike down the multitudes of the enemy.
I have often thought that the fleece was Gideon's first request but in verse 17, 18 Gideon says "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." The angel of the Lord allows this and in the presence of Gideon, sets the thing on fire. On a rock. Rocks don't burn.
Now at this point, the people of Israel are assaulted by the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples and Gideon takes up his trumpet and calls all the people who will fight against the Midianites.
After seeing an angel of the Lord face to face, speaking directly to God and seeing the angel burn up the sacrifice right in front of his face he still asks the Lord for a sign, ie "THE FLEECE". Wow, is that me! I truly would have thought the Lord would smite him right out. He does not. He loves Israel so much that he is willing to show himself again and again so that this little man, of the "weakest tribe" is able to find the strength to do the impossible. He finds himself with a band of 300 men who then go behind the army of the Lord and slaughtered 135,000 men. I doubt if he ever asked for another fleece.
This is were I come in. Over the last 10 years, Kristin and I have had quiet prayers and requests for God to lead us where he wanted us to go. We have always felt that we were moving a direction that was both clear and foggy at the same time. Now that the time has come to heed his call we are asking for a wet fleece.
If I look back over the last years and ask God to show me how he has prepared me, she shows me a marriage to a woman who has a giant heart for God's work and his people. He shows me a move to a city to take a job that we were unsure of to start with but has turned into a blessing beyond our imagination. It allows us to pay off our debt in 5 year rather than 10-15 as is the length of most medical student loans. He shows me a change in heart that brings us to realize that our debt is a weight around our necks and around his spirit in our lives. He shows me again a wife who at my request, moves out of a house that was certainly not more than we could afford but one that after looking back was in His way. It's sale literally cut 5 years off our loans.
I can go on and on but the point is, he has shown me that he has a plan for us and despite our fears of inadequacy he goes ahead of us and makes the enemy afraid. He takes a man who is hiding in job, slowly and cautiously doing his work. He says to him, get up and go. I say, I'm afraid. I'm inadequate, come from a small clan with little to no heritage and I am not able to do any more than I am doing right here, right now. My comfort and strength is in my medical education. Is it not enough that I have loved these. He said NO. He sent me a word, a prophet of sort, who said, "I am no more than you but God has made of me what he wants." All the arguments and struggles in my heart fade away at his tender calling.
I have no answer left except, Here I am Lord, send me.
I pray Lord that you will give comfort and direction where it is needed. Remind us daily of your great works and our security in you. For Kristin and I, I pray for two hearts that walks as one.
Praise God.
