Devotions - Monday, Jan 28

I am not sure of the strength of knowledge with regard to Judges. These are Biblical characters seem not to get as much air time as they did I was a child.

Part of that may be the complexity of their stories. Sampson is known as the strong guy to brought down the fortresses of the enemies of Israel, but he is also the one who murders in order to pay off a bet. In our day we seem to like "hero" stories better than stories of persons who do the heroic thing.

This morning I was reading from Judges 6, the story of Gideon. Yes, this is the Gideon from which The Gideon's get their name. But standing on the corner and handing out Bibles once a year isn't what Gideon, The Judge, is known for.

Judges 6:11-24 is Gideon's call story - the story of how he hears God's invitation to serve. What impresses me about the story is the way it preserves Gideon's humanity, thus allowing me to more easily identify with him. Gideon does what we are told we have no right to do - he won't follow God till he has a sign.

In case you are curious about the sign - Gideon prepares a feast for the visitor who came to issue God's call. When the feast is ready, the visitor tells him to put in on the rocks. The visitor touches the rock and the offering is consumed.

Gideon is like us, he hears the invitation to serve God, but he worries that it might not be real or that it might be a mistake. He won't do as God says till he has a sign.

It would be wrong for us to draw from this a more stubborn attitude toward God - demanding signs before we act. We should learn from Gideon's story that even reluctant servants go on to serve God faithfully.

To what is God calling you? Is it to care for the person who sits all alone in class? Maybe it is to be the voice which calls trash talk into question. Perhaps God is inviting you to use your education in service to others, even if it means a lower paying job.

It can be difficult to follow God. Even some of the most noted followers were reluctant, at first. But they, like yourself, found the ability to trust and to believe and to follow.

Pastor Chris