April 2nd | Judges 6

I was awakened yesterday by a prank from my eight-year-old son. He had told me that his mom had fallen, and I needed to get out of bed and help her quickly. I raced out of bed, wiping the sleep from my eyes, only to find my son and wife laughing at me, saying, “April Fools!” I heard what he said, and I responded appropriately. Maybe I should have taken the cue from Gideon and asked for a sign before I lept out of bed. 

In Judges chapter six, God’s people have walked away from the Lord and His commands. They are oppressed by foreign nations and are found worshiping the Baals, which are false gods. As the people cry out, God hears them and acts. 

God calls Gideon, and Gideon must think this is an April Fool’s joke. After the Lord appears to Gideon and calls him to lead God’s people, Gideon replies in verse 15. , 

“Please Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” 

I can almost hear the sarcasm and disbelief in Gideon’s voice… Really God? But after a few more moments with the Angel of the Lord, Gideon realizes he has seen God face to face. He believes the Lord and is ready for his first assignment. “Pull down the altar of Baal.” Gideon has seen the Lord face to face and heard this call, but he is still afraid! Verse 27 says, 

“But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.” 

Now, we might label Gideon as a coward or a man who lacks faith in God. But God does not admonish him. And while Gideon might not have acted like we would expect, he still DID what God asked him to do. 

The next night, however, Gideon is still afraid and unsure. He tests God twice by asking for a sign of dew to cover the fleece one night and keep it dry the other. Gideon knows he should trust God, but he can’t help his fear. Verse 39 says, 

“Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece.” 

What was God’s response to Gideon’s repeated fear and questioning? He simply did what Gideon asked. Gideon was not admonished by God. Sometimes, I feel like Gideon. Really God? Surely this isn’t what you want me to do, right? Too many times, I fail, make mistakes, and doubt God when I should trust him. But the story of Gideon is such a beautiful reminder of God’s patience and mercy towards us. You can make mistakes, you can fail, and God is still there, calling you to step out in faith. What is God calling you to do today? Have you put it off? Have you questioned? God is patient, but eventually, we can trust that God is with us, and we can step out in faith. Would you take that step today?