Flimsy fleece

We all want to love God, don’t we?  We all truly fear, love and trust in God above all things, right?  We’ve never doubted that our heavenly Father would, or even could provide what we need, or think we need.  "Surely not I," we might think.

I’m sure Gideon felt the same way.  I’m sure he was a pious Israelite – Went to tabernacle, when it happened to be around.  Yet, when God’s word comes to him from God himself, he doubts.  And what does he doubt?  He doubts the Gospel!  "The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor," is what God speaks to him.  The LORD is with him, because he promised to be with all Israel when they entered the land of Canaan.  He’s also directly in front of him under a terebinth tree.

What does gideon do?  He throws it right back in his face.  "Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has this happened to us?  What happened to all the mighty deeds our fathers said He did?"  God wants him, little Gideon from the little clan in Manasseh to crush the Midianites.  He says, "Do not I send you?"  Gideon doubts.  Wouldn’t we?  Some guy tells us he’s God.  So he asks for a sign.

God grants the sign.  He consumes the food Gideon brought as a burnt offering, and then disappears.  Gideon freaks!  He thinks he’s toast, just like the meal he brought.  God, again, forgives his sin: "Peace be with you!"

Gideon’s asked again to destroy the Midianites, and he begs for another sign?!?  One night he wants a fleece on the ground wet, and the ground around it dry.  Then the next night he wants the ground wet and the fleece dry.  He keeps on testing God!  Didn’t he learn from his forefathers?  "Don’t put the Lord your God to the 

test?"

No he didn’t learn.  And we don’t learn from Gideon.  We too want signs and wonders from God.  We too have the things that we think we need.  When we don’t get these signs, wonders, or "demanded gifts" we doubt.  We disbelieve.  We all have our fleeces like Gideon.  "God, if you just make this or that person like me…."  "God, if youjust make me more popular…."  "God, if you get me a car…"  The list can go on!

Repent.  Look to the gifts, signs, and wonders the Lord promises you.  Jesus consumed all the Father’s wrath for all of you sins!  We, little sheep, walk with our fleece wet, and everything around is dripping with blessing from the baptismal font.  No not having this or that sign can take that away.  He promises to always forgive your sins, even all the many, various, great doubts that you have about him.  When we doubt, or fear that God will consume us, then just go to where "The peace of the Lord is with you always" at the Lord’s Supper.  And, hey, THAT’S TOMORROW!