August 28 -- "Face-to-Face"

Today’s Reading: Judges 6

"Face-to-Face"

The people of Israel have, once again, turned away from God.  Once again, the LORD delivered them into the hand of their enemy.  This time it was the Midianites who oppressed Israel for seven long years.  Because of the heavy hand of the Midianites, the Israelites took to hiding out in dens, and caves, in the rocks, in winepresses, in the mountains – wherever they could find.  The Midianites were particularly ruthless in their dealings with Israel.  They would destroy their crops, their flocks, and their herds leaving no sustenance for Israel. 

But, once again, Israel cried out to the Lord.    And, once again, the Lord sent a deliverer to rescue them.  The angel of the Lord came to a man named Gideon who – like the rest of Israel  – was hiding out from the Midianites.  Instead of threshing the wheat out in the open at the threshing floor, Gideon was threshing the wheat in the winepress hoping not to be spotted by the Midianites.

This is what makes the Angel’s words so unexpected.  The Angel finds Gideon hiding out and says to him, “God is with you, O mighty man of valor.”  Wait!  What?!  Are you talking to me?  I’m no mighty man of valor.  I’m a scaredy-cat.  I’m hiding down here in the wine vat because I’m weak and afraid.  I am actually the weakest member of my family – and my family is the weakest one in all the tribe.  You got the wrong dude!  But the Angel insisted, giving him a radical mission from God – “Go in this might of yours. I am sending you – yes YOU – to deliver your people!”  Then the Angel makes a promise that changes Gideon’s viewpoint completely – “I will be with you and you shall defeat the Midianites.”

After a bit more persuasion from the Angel, Gideon came to the stark realization that this was a genuine divine encounter with the Angel of the Lord.  He says in verse 22, “Alas, O Master God! I have seen the angel of God face-to-face!”  Wow!  A face-to-face encounter with a being from the Spirit world. (Many believe that this was actually a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ Himself – known as a theophany.)  From the moment of that encounter, Gideon became exactly the person God knew he could be – a mighty man of valor.

God saw in him a reality that Gideon didn’t even see in himself.  God saw that he could be more than a wimpering scaredy cat hiding in a winepress.  God knew that Gideon was destined for greater things.  Not because of any character trait of Gideon, but because of the anointing of God’s power upon his life. 

God sees in you a reality that you don’t even see in yourself.  God sees that you can become more than you ever have.  God knows that you are destined for great exploits for His kingdom.  Not because of any natural abilities of your own, but because He will empower you and He will be with you.  Answer the call.  Crawl out of your insecurities and fears.  And trust the Living God to make your life a powerful witness for Him.  God is with YOU, O mighty man/woman of valor!