God's Call

Focusing on missions and the young generation, Kevin shared a word that he titled "God's Call" emphasizing that God is calling us and we need to heed to God's call. He chose to focus on the story of Gideon in Judges chapter 6 and 7. This story was so nicely broken down clearly highlighting the significant events that happened in this chapters until God used Gideon to save the Israelites from the Midianites. If you have ever taken time to read and study the story of Gideon, then you will understand that it is one of the stories where we see God calling upon an insignificant person to undertake a significant task

Gideon, like many of us, doubted his own abilities. He had suffered so many defeats that he even put God to test, not once but three time. In the Bible story, Gideon is introduced threshing grain in a winepress, a pit in the ground, so the marauding Midianites did not see him. God appeared to Gideon as an Angel and said, "The LORD is with you, mighty man of valor." (Judges 6:12). Gideon prepared a meal for the angel. The angel touched the meat and unleavened bread with his staff, and the rock they were sitting on spewed fire, consuming the offering. Then Gideon put out a fleece, a piece of sheep skin with the wool still attached, asking God to cover the fleece with dew overnight, but leave the ground around it dry. God did so. Finally, Gideon asked God to dampen the ground overnight with dew but leave the fleece dry. God did that as well.

God was patient with Gideon because he had chosen him to defeat the Midianites, who had impoverished the land of Israel with their constant raids. Gideon gathered a huge army from the surrounding tribes, but God reduced their number to only 300. There would be no doubt that victory was from the Lord, not from the army's might.
That night, Gideon gave each man a trumpet and a torch concealed inside a pottery jar. At his signal, they blew their trumpets, broke the jars to reveal the torches, and shouted: "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" (Judges 7:20, NIV). God caused the enemy to panic and turn on each other. Gideon called out reinforcements and they pursued the raiders, destroying them.

This story does not just excite us at what God did in the end but also reminds us that God's call is not easy.  Gideon was from the weakest clan of Manasseh which under normal circumstances wrote him off from saving an entire nation. Sometimes our standing in society dictates what we can accomplish, but this is only in the world view. In the divine order, status, size, beauty and the rest DO NOT amount to anything. God searches a willing heart. He calls out to people who are willing to heed to His call. So that did not stop God from using Gideon.

The other task God gave Gideon was to destroy the altars of Baal his father had built and erect an altar for God. Gideon obeyed but it put him at loggerheads with the people who wanted to kill him. But God, did not allow this to happen. He uses Joash, his father, to tell the people that if Baal really is a god, he can defend himself. Many times when God calls us we are required to destroy the altars we have erected for ourselves that are ungodly. We have altars of self, pride, money, lack of commitment, employment you name them. Then God tell us to destroy them so that we can build him an altar. Many people will never do what Gideon did, in stead we decide to ignore God. Sad thing, that is how far God will go. He will never use us to the fullest unless we obey him. One of the things He is asking us to do is to destroy altars raised for other gods and erect an altar for God.

If you read this story, God reveals himself to Gideon through the dry and wet fleece of wool. Still he is required to reduce the men in his army to 300 men. If this was you and me we would go "What!!! God you must be joking. Are you kidding me? 300 men for people whose population is as thick as locusts? Come on God, get someone else. I ain't dealing this." Thank God for Gideon, he obeyed and put his trust completely in God. We often allow ourselves to be controlled by our limitations. We forget that God is not limited to our limitations. Everything he touches he magnifies. One time he used Samson that with a jaw bone Samson slayed thousands. Another time he asked Moses, "what do you have in your hand?" I am sure Moses was not prepared for what he saw happen next. Its time to let go of our limitations and let God lead.

Finally God gives Gideon victory in the most unique of ways, the aggressors start fighting and killing each other. Before that Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” I love what Gideon did after hearing this. The bible says that when Gideon has this dream and its interpretation he bowed down and worshiped. There is a great reward to all who positively respond to God's call.

In summary, it is clear that God is calling. We can either chose to answer or ignore. The task is not easy, many obstacles have to be overcome. We have to look beyond our social standings, we've got to destroy ungodly altars in our lives and erect an altar for God and finally, we need to look beyond our limitations. God is fighting the battle for us. He is the strength we need to accomplish the task. Whatever God requires, He provides. During the journey, all we can do is respond in worship. 

I want to sincerely bless God for our brother Kevin for allowing God to use him to bring this revelation to us. God bless you Kevin. Stay in His service.