Today’s passage is Judges 6:25-40. After the Lord accepted Gideon’s sacrifice, he told Gideon to take his father’s second bull, break up his father’s altar to Baal and use the material to make a proper altar to God, then sacrifice the bull, using the wood of the Asherah pole he cut down to cook it. Gideon did this at night. When the villagers discovered it, they wanted to kill Gideon but his father said Baal could defend himself. Gideon blew a trumpet to summon the men and sent messages to the other tribes. Then Gideon twice tested the Lord with a fleece and the dew to confirm his call from God.
Why does Gideon test God twice more? Why does he sacrifice the second bull?
How many times do you have to ask or test before you accept what needs to be done?
My school needs three new teachers.
We have interviewed twice that number but still my assistant principal wants to interview “just one more”.
In today’s passage, there are two twos.
The second bull is mentioned twice.
And Gideon tests God twice, using a mirror image of the fleece test to try to confirm his trust in God, wanting the fleece wet with dew one night and then perfectly dry with no dew the next.
He follows God’s orders about the bull and breaking the Baal altar and the idol at night when no one can see.
Doing at night what should be done in the day is an action prompted by fear. Repeatedly asking for a sign is also an act of fear.
What am I afraid of?
What idols do I not want to break?
What altar to God am I afraid to make? How do I keep testing God?
I am not different from Gideon who is afraid to trust God even after sounding the trumpet to call the Israelites to arms.
He is afraid to show himself as God’s faithful servant, choosing to obey God only when no one can see.
I am afraid to wrap myself in God’s Spirit and boldly take up my responsibility as school leader, plan what I know needs to be planned and summon my teachers to follow those plans with their skills, talent and imagination.
I am holding back my teachers and my school because I’m hesitating, just like Gideon, waiting for a sign I don’t need.
My application: to pray and trust in God to formulate the six strategic plans to guide my school over the next three years. Today I started on two.
Lord, break my fear and let me work in the daylight for your glory.
