Tomorrow I get to do my second real-life assembly since March. For the Wednesday assemblies this term we are looking at characters from the Old Testament and tomorrow we're looking at Gideon. You can read about Gideon in Judges 6-8. This series we've been using the Lion Storyteller Bible which is a great resource.
God has a job for Gideon: he wants him to deliver Israel from their oppressors - and at this point in their story, that's the Midianites.
A bit like Moses, Gideon starts off with a whole load of excuses as to why God's got the wrong person - he's the weakest, he's the smallest - but God's having none of it because he has promised to be with Gideon.
So Gideon puts together an army of 32,000 men - and God's response: that's too many! Those who are afraid are allowed to leave - now there are 10,000. But that's still too many for God. Finally, Gideon ends up with 300.
And armed only with trumpets and flaming torches Gideon, his 300 men, and God defeated the Midianite army - who end up killing each other.
Why is it that so often, our first response when God asks us to do something is to say 'no', to come up with excuses, and suggest that God has got the wrong person! I expect that's often the case because we're looking to ourself and our own resources - rather than looking to God to be the one who will act and provide.
What's God been asking you to do? And how have you responded?
