When God Says…

Have you heard God tell you to do something, yet you are wondering if it really is from God, so you ask Him to prove to you that what you heard was Him?  I know I have.

What I love about the Bible and the people in it, is they are just like you and me. I can relate to Moses, in giving all kinds of reasons why I am not the person to do what He asked. Little did I recognize how much I was like Gideon in Judges chapter 6.

Recently, God told me to help with the kids at church. I was like are you sure? I did that when my boys were 3 year-old. Several times I asked him to make it evident to me that is what He wanted me to do. It wasn’t until I sat and talked to the children’s pastor did I find out many times she was the only one in there over 21. My youngest son said that there were several times she had left him in charge to take a girl to the bathroom and he won’t be 18 until later this year.

Once I started serving in the kids, I ended up being the disciplinary figure. I wasn’t happy about that however, the kids that I have had to come down on are the ones that can’t wait to come and see me. One comes running to me when she sees me in the lobby of the building.

There are several things that we can take away from the story of Gideon. The first is when God tells us to do something, He is not asking us to do something that we are not already prepared for. In verse 14, God tells Gideon, he already has the strength required to do what God is asking him to do. He didn’t require Gideon to build up a huge army, or work out until he looked like the Hulk. What he had at that time was perfect to do the task.

Second, when God is sending us to do something that is all we need to know. My youngest son is feeling God calling him on a trip to Africa in February. At the beginning of July he had a grand total of $0.00 to put towards the deposit of $350 that is due at the beginning of August. He put out on the churches buy, sell page on Facebook that he would do physical labor for $10/hour at the beginning of July. In three weeks he has double the amount of the deposit. He almost has what is needed for the trip minus airfare, and passport. He is amazed at how God is working in providing for the trip.

Third, God will give us peace when we are doing what He wants us to do. as we see in verse 23;

But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”

It didn’t kill me to get involved with the kids at church. Nor, did it kill my husband. We both have a peace about working with the kids. As a matter of fact the pastor told me during VBS that he sees a spark in my husbands eyes when he is with the kids that he hasn’t seen before.

Lastly, Gideon built an altar as a reminder of what God did in verse 24.

So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

We may not build an altar but keeping a journal of what God has done in your life to look back on is a great idea.

The next time God ask you to do something remember it is not something that you are not prepared to do, He is asking you to do it for Him, He will give you peace about it, and don’t forget to make a reminder of it.