Judges chapter 6 verses 7 – 13 (NIV)
When the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian, he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. I said to you, ‘I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.” The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior. ” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
God made it quite clear through His prophet why Israel was being persecuted by the Midianites, but it appears even with this warning the people were not really listening. Gideon does not seem to be aware of this when he questions whether the Lord is really with Israel. It seems that Israel wanted God on their terms, not His.
We too need to be careful when we ask where God is in a particular situation, or blame Him, as some do for the circumstances we may find ourselves in. Perhaps He has been trying to get our attention and we have not listened to Him. Perhaps He is also saying, “the Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” We need to start paying attention.
Dear Lord,
Thank You that You long to speak to Your people and are with us in the midst of difficult times, even if we are uncertain. Help me to have ears to hear what You have to say, even if it’s difficult to accept. I know it’s always for my good. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.