Meet Me in the Middle

Previously in this series: Pursuit / One Step Closer / Hot On God’s Heels / Branches / Above Every Other Love / I Need You

A couple of months ago I wrote about how the season of life I’m currently in feels like living out on a limb. It is shaky and the footing can be a little tricky. I know I am where the Lord has led me, so I’m sticking (pun totally intended) it out until further notice. Meanwhile… I’m learning so much about myself, community, and, yet again, about waiting. I’m not going to lie: I thought I had a pretty good grip on waiting. Turns out there was (is) more to know. Yea!

One of the coolest things I believe the Lord has shown me is how he meets us where we are. No, this isn’t a new lesson either, just from a different perspective. I have been unsure of the ways he has led me over the past year and reluctant to follow. Even though it is still him and still his voice, the new surroundings have made me second guess the smallest things. I’ve felt incredibly needy, babyish even. At times I’ve needed constant affirming. If I’m not careful to keep asking the Lord, even though it seems ridiculous (and beneath me if I’m honest), the enemy will pounce and pervert the new learning opportunity into moments of doubt and mistrust.

It just so happened that my daily Bible reading one day included Gideon’s story. (Thank you Lord for your faithfulness!)  As I read this familiar story with a fresh perspective, I began to see similarities between Gideon’s situation and mine. And let me say, I liked Gideon right from the start because he argued with the angel of the Lord. Most people are fearful when angels show up, rightfully so. Not Gideon. He jumps right in the conversation without flinching. Here’s a summary of Gideon’s story. If you’d like to read the whole story click Judges 6 – 8.

Israel was under oppression from the camp of Midian. God wanted to deliver Israel from this state and chose to do so through Gideon. He called Gideon a mighty man of valor, but Gideon needed some convincing about this call and plan of action. God faithfully met him and built his faith until he was able to do what God called him to do. Because Gideon was willing, even though it seemed inconceivable, Israel was delivered from the Midianites through Gideon’s leadership.

Here are three things I noticed from Gideon’s story that have kept me saying yes to the Lord during my out-on-a-limb season:

It’s Normal to Need Reassuring 

When God calls us to something new and unfamiliar, it takes some adjusting. He knows that. He wants to build our faith and trust in him. Faith, after all, is a gift from God. It’s okay to ask for it.

God chose to use Gideon as a leader in Israel’s deliverance from the hands of the Midianites. This was news to Gideon, so God sends the angel of the Lord to initiate the plan. The angel encourages Gideon by calling him a mighty man of valor and goes on to reason with him. I love Gideon’s response because it resonates with me. Gideon asks the angel of the Lord for a sign to be sure he was hearing, seeing correctly. The arrogant part of me is like, Dude, you’re talking to an angel. What other sign do you need? But the insecure, honest part of me is like, I totally get that. Thank God I’m not the only one. The angel of the Lord reassures Gideon by setting some things on fire as another sign. Gideon goes that very night with ten men and destroys the altar of Baal.

It’s Okay to Keep Asking

Have you ever taken a first step toward something and then a flood of second guessing hits you in the face? In realizing it’s scarier and bigger than you thought, did you want to run back to safety? The picture that comes to mind is a diving platform. It’s one thing to climb the stairs, and it’s another to walk to the edge. But jumping off is a different thing altogether. All you want to do is run back to the safety of the ground, but you’re frozen on the edge or in the middle. While I’ve been out on a limb pressing on to know the Lord, I’ve second guessed my surroundings and have desperately wanted to be back in familiar places. I’ve wanted to retreat to ways I’ve heard the Lord in past seasons (familiar places), forgetting the promise of the pursuit—to know the Lord.

After Gideon’s night raid, the Midianites gather some friends and set up an intimidating camp against him. Gideon runs back to the Lord and basically says remind me again what you’ve called me to. That’s okay. If we are going to run, it is best to run to God. Pressing on to know the Lord is a process. It’s okay to keep asking him for help in the process.

Gideon asks God for a specific sign—for the fleece he lays out at night to be wet in the morning but the ground to be dry. God gives him exactly what he asks for, building confidence within him. Gideon’s insecurity led him to ask one thing from God, “Let not your anger burn against me….please let me test once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” (Judges 6:39). Again, God does exactly what Gideon asks for, building confidence in him.

Meet Me in the Middle 

Gideon’s confidence in God’s word grows, and, like any good leader, he had surrounded himself with some men to help fight the battle. There were 22,000 men to be exact. The Lord tells Gideon that this is too many men, they will take credit for the victory over me. He proceeds to dwindle down Gideon’s army from 22,000 to 10,000 men, and then from 10,000 to 300 men. In this vulnerable state, a place where Gideon is pressed even more to trust what God has spoken, God reminds Gideon again of his promise, “With the 300 men I will save you and give the Midianites into you hand.” (Judges 7:7)

The thing the God does next testifies of his personal, careful attention to our lives. It gives me assurance that God will always meet me where I am to help me get to where he is calling me. After God reminds Gideon of the promised victory, he says,

“Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it to your hand. But if you’re afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. And you will hear what they say, and afterward your hands will be strengthened…” (Judges 7:9-11)

I mean, come on! After an angel, the dry fleece, the wet fleece, the constant reminders, God knew Gideon needed one more push to be confident in his word. God didn’t punish him for that need. He was a friend to Gideon, and graciously met him in the middle in order to get him to the other side of victory.

The final sign Gideon heard was when he went down to the camp with his servant, Purah. They overheard two Midianites talking about a dream where a barley cake tumbles into the camp of Midian and overturns it. One of Midianite states, “This is none other than the sword of Gideon…God has given to his hand Midian.” (Judges 7:11-14)

If you’ll remember, Gideon’s first response to God’s call was a little bitter and full of doubt. But he kept asking questions and talking with God. After the final sign of hearing the dream and interpretation, Gideon’s response was worship and agreement with God. As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand.” (Judges 7:15). He led his 300 men to war and they were victorious just like the angel of the Lord originally spoke.

Friends! It is the same for me and for you. God is calling us to his purpose. He is faithful to meet us with every press we make. Hosea 6:3 says, his going out is sure as the dawn. It’s okay to keep to pursuing God. He loves it! As God meets us, our faith will grow a little more until we are able to come into agreement with his word, his calling, and we are able to truly worship him. Let us press on to know the Lord.