Fear Daily Devotional - March 3

March 3

Judges 6:23
Then the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.”

Comment:

This story comes right after our verse from yesterday, where the Lord reminds the people that they have not “obeyed” His voice.  Along comes Gideon “minding his own business” threshing wheat in a winepress, actually in order to hide from the oppressors, the Midianites.  Suddenly an Angel of the Lord appears to him.    The Angel tells Gideon, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor.”  Doesn’t sound very mighty, hiding in a winepress now does he?

Gideon’s conversation with the Angel of the Lord reveals that he has been questioning whether or not God was really still with the people.  Gideon says, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?”   And just then the Lord says “Go in this might of yours and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites.”  Like so many others that the Lord called he feels unprepared and resists the call.

Gideon asks for a sign to prove that he has truly found favor with the Lord and he receives one.  Along with the sign, he realizes that he has just been face to face with the Angel of the Lord and Gibeon has heard all his life that can mean death.  So we come to the verse for today.  The Lord calms his “fear” and tells Gideon that he will not die!

I find it very comforting that so many, in fact all, of the people that God called, resisted.  Whenever I feel like God has something He wants me to do, I resist much like all before me. 

Lord, don’t let me “fear” hearing from You, as I so very much need your direction for today and every day.  Speak to me and guide me.  Amen.