Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— Judges 6:36 NIV

In the early courtship with Pam, she was a camp counselor at Ridgecrest in North Carolina while I was living in Florida. We primarily conversed through letters and late night phone calls. Eventually I drove up to see her over the July 4th holiday. I showed up a day early to surprise her. With the help of her roommate, I made it to her dorm room doorway in which I could see Pam sitting and talking, but she did not see me.

I froze with a swirling of thoughts. “I have just driven 600 miles one way to see this girl. This is serious. This is commitment. This will change my life forever. I am not sure if I am ready for this. She hasn’t seen me yet, I could leave…”

Gideon’s life to this point has already had a fantastic storybook encounter with an Angel of God. He has had a divine call to be a judge to deliver God’s people from the oppression of the Midianites. He now stands at the edge of war. Why did he hesitate one more time? Men will die.

Jumping the last hurdle before the promise begins can be intimidating.

  • Abraham had a covenant encounter with God in Genesis 15 in which he was credited with righteousness because of his belief
  • Jacob wrestled with God before reuniting with his brother
  • Joshua encountered an Angel of God before the attack on Jericho.
  • Jesus painfully struggled in prayer in Gethssmane the night before His crucifixion

Each of these encounters trusted God for His promise to be with them and fulfill what He had said. The scripture reveals that Gideon’s request comes after the Spirit of God was upon him. Can you still question and dialogue with God while being full of the Spirit? Gideon says yes.

Some reflective questions to help you step into your promised calling and destiny

  • Can you articulate exactly when and where God expressed His calling for you.
    • This would include your salvation, but calling is about walking in your giftings
  • Are there stepping stones of God’s faithful interaction with you in your past that has brought you to this point.
    • These stones are reminders to strengthen your faith
    • Rehearsing the events of these stones builds your faith
  • Have others acknowledged God’s calling for your life?
    • The body of Christ supports one another through identifying and receiving from spiritual gifts in operation. 
  • Do you have the rhythm of personally dialoguing with God in your life?
    • Jesus stated that His sheep hear His voice and will follow Him.
    • Calling and intimate dialogue with God are closely related.
  • If you are hesitant to move forward, can you identify what is holding you back?
    • Identifying fears and obstacles is not lack of faith, rather it reveals how God will part the waters in your life
  • Have you shared with a faithful friend about your dream?
    • Sometimes speaking about our promise to another brings faith to the forefront of our lives.

Don’t be confused that calling has to do with bigness. The Bible is filled with people who are mentioned only once and sometimes not even by name. The man who provided the colt for Jesus’ triumphal entry is one example. Just do the next thing God is asking for you to do.

Back to the dorm room. I stepped around the dresser that had me previously hidden so that Pam could now see me. With great excitement she said, “What are you doing here?” Still hesitant, I said “I don’t know for sure, I think I will leave.” She ran and gave me a big hug and said, “No, you are not.” Love melted away my fears.

Have a wonderful day, God’s working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight. What a wonderful adventure.

Blessings Love y’all

PS  We just celebrated 34 years of marriage.