Judges 6:7-12: a reflection

7When the children of Israel cried to the LORD because of Midian, 8The LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel; and he said to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage. 9I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land. 10I said to you, “I am the LORD your God. You shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not listened to my voice.’” 11The LORD’s angel came and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites. 12The LORD’s angel appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!”

When the angel of the LORD comes to Gideon, Gideon is hiding, threshing wheat in a winepress to conceal it from the Midianites, a picture of fear, not courage. And yet the angel greets him with a startling title: The LORD is with you, mighty man of valor. Gideon was not, at that moment, mighty or valiant; he was fearful, hiding. But God addressed him not according to what he then was, but according to what God would make him, calling forth a valor Gideon did not yet see in himself.

Notice how God addresses Gideon: not according to his present fearfulness, but according to what God would make him. Gideon was hiding in fear; and yet God called him a man of valor. God saw not only what Gideon then was, fearful and hiding, but what God would make him, and addressed him according to that. God's word called forth the reality it named; the fearful man hiding in the winepress would become, by God's making, the valiant deliverer God addressed.

That is an encouragement, for God often addresses us according to what he will make us, not merely what we now are. We may see ourselves as fearful, weak, unfit, like Gideon hiding in the winepress; but God sees, and calls forth, what he will make us. His word to us is not limited by our present weakness; he addresses us according to what, by his grace and making, we can become. Do not think God sees only your present fearfulness or weakness; he sees and calls forth what he will make you, as he called the hiding Gideon a man of valor. Let God's calling define you more than your present weakness; he addresses you according to what he will make you, and his word calls forth the reality it names. The fearful man in the winepress became, by God's making, the valiant deliverer; do not limit yourself to what you now are, but trust the God who calls forth in you what he will make you, as he called forth valor in the fearful Gideon.

Lord, when your angel came to Gideon, he was hiding, threshing wheat in a winepress in fear; and yet the angel greeted him with a startling title: the LORD is with you, mighty man of valor. Gideon was not then valiant, but fearful and hiding; yet you addressed him not according to what he then was, but according to what you would make him, calling forth a valor he did not yet see in himself. Show me how you address me: not merely according to my present weakness, but according to what you will make me. I may see myself as fearful, weak, unfit, like Gideon hiding in the winepress; but you see, and call forth, what you will make me. Your word to me is not limited by my present weakness; you address me according to what, by your grace and making, I can become. Keep me from thinking you see only my present fearfulness or weakness; you see and call forth what you will make me, as you called the hiding Gideon a man of valor. Let your calling define me more than my present weakness, Lord; you address me according to what you will make me, and your word calls forth the reality it names. Help me not limit myself to what I now am, but trust you, who call forth in me what you will make me, as you called forth valor in the fearful Gideon.