Scripture Daily

Context No. 1813 of 4322 · Judges

Context · Reflection

Judges 6:36-40: in context

36Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken, 37behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I’ll know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken.” 38It was so; for he rose up early on the next day, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. 39Gideon said to God, “Don’t let your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once. Please let me make a trial just this once with the fleece. Let it now be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40God did so that night; for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Gideon, called to save Israel but full of fear, asks God for a sign to be sure. He lays a fleece of wool on the threshing floor: if there is dew on the fleece but the ground is dry, he will know God will save Israel by his hand. It happens so. Then, still uncertain, Gideon asks, almost apologizing, please do not be angry with me; let me test just once more, this time with the fleece dry and the ground wet. And God patiently grants that sign too.

What is striking here is not Gideon's weakness of faith, but God's patience with it. Gideon is afraid and unsure; he needs reassurance, more than once, before he will step out; and even as he asks the second time, he seems to know he is pushing, apologizing in advance, please do not be angry. He is not a model of strong, unquestioning faith. And God does not rebuke him or refuse him. Patiently, gently, God grants the sign, and then, when Gideon asks again, grants it a second time, meeting his fearful servant's need for reassurance rather than demanding a faith Gideon did not yet have. There is deep comfort in God's gentleness with Gideon's weak faith. We are often more like Gideon than like the heroes of unwavering trust: afraid, unsure, needing reassurance, wishing for some sign before we step out. And we may fear that God is impatient with such weakness, that he demands a strong faith we cannot muster. Gideon's fleece shows a God who condescends to meet us where we are, patient with our fears, gentle with our need for reassurance, not despising the weak faith that at least keeps asking. This does not mean the fleece is the pattern of mature faith; Scripture calls us toward a trust that can rest on God's word without always demanding a sign, and it is better to grow toward that. But it does mean that God is patient with us on the way there, gentle with our weakness, willing to meet our fearful hearts with the reassurance they need. A bruised reed he will not break. If we come to God weak and fearful, needing reassurance like Gideon, we come to a God who deals gently with such faith, and does not despise the trembling trust that keeps turning to him.

Do I fear that God is impatient with my weak and fearful faith, my need for reassurance before I will step out, or can I take comfort from his gentleness with Gideon, meeting his fearful servant where he was, and trust that God deals gently with weak faith, even as he calls me to grow toward resting on his word?

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