2010 – Mar. 19 – Fleecing from Faith or Doubt?

Study from God’s Word…Judges 6: 1 – Judges 7: 25 … Passage for Reflection: Judges 6: 39 … NIV 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. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew."

My Journal for Today: I really dig the character of Gideon in the Old Testament; and I do so because I identify with him a lot. First there is his lack of self assurance. Who among us has not doubted our own self worth at some time in our life? Well, Gideon certainly did; and yet, God saw in Gideon a warrior, … in fact God saw a “mighty warrior,” a character trait which Gideon doubted severely. In fact God even allowed this “scaredy cat” more than one test, which we have come to know as “fleeces,” to see if God’s angel (Who was probably Christ in a theophany) was for real. And don’t you just love God’s patience and forbearance as Gideon needs to put out these fleeces more than once to see if he’s moving within God’s will or not.

Have you not wondered at times whether you were working or moving as God would have you move? I certainly have; and there have been times when I looked for God’s signs as to whether a leaning I had or a decision I questioned was in the center of God’s will. And the “fleece” I sought usually came in the form of God’s perfect peace when I needed confirmation of God’s will for my life. Many times in my life, when I felt God driving me forward in a certain direction, I have used Paul’s (i.e., God’s) instruction in Phil. 4: 6,7 to help me fleece out what God wanted me to do.

In this passage, as I hope you’ve memorized, we’re instructed to avoid worry and to take our leaning or quandary to God in prayer, … praying diligently, and with sincere discipline, to seek God’s peace about the direction or focus we have in our mind’s eye. And if what we “feel” is God’s will, we will find that He will send His peace, … that peace which surpasses all understanding, to confirm our leaning or direction. And I have used that method of decision-making many, many times; and when I don’t get that peace from God, I know that He’s saying to me, “stop” or “wait.” But if I do get a peace about the direction or choice in my mind, I move ahead, knowing that Satan cannot counterfeit God’s peace.

So, I’m no different than Gideon. There are times when my “faith” is really no more than doubt in disguise. But Gideon had a heart for God’s will; and God, of course, knew that. And even when we doubt what’s going on in our lives, if we genuinely seek God’s direction and His best for us, just like Gideon, God will give us, in HIS good timing, what we seek from Him, which is His perfect will. Go back and meditate on the passage I’ve referred to here, i.e., Phil. 4: 6-7, as well as Psalm 37: 4, Prov. 3: 5-6, Romans 12: 1-2, and James 1: 5-6, all of which will help you, as they have me for years, give you assurance that seeking and finding God’s will and/or wisdom is a pursuit we all should undertake so that we can fulfill the commands of Jesus, Who said to His disciples (see Luke 9: 23 – common, you know it!), If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

And though I’m not into betting, I’d wager that – if you’re a genuine, born-again Christian – you, like Gideon, seek to find and do God’s will for your life. So, my friend, just like Gideon, you just keep on, keeping on in that pursuit; and God will ultimately honor you with His mind and His heart in the matters which mean the most to you, especially those matters which mean the most to God.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, I simply seek Your will!!! Amen