DAILY STRENGTH FOR MEN
February 16 (day 2)

Passage: Verse in Context - Judges 6:12-15, 36-40 NRSV

The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty warrior." Gideon answered him, "But sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying, ' Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has cast us off, and given us into the hand of Midian." Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian; I hereby commission you." He responded, "But, sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." Then Gideon said to God, " In order to see whether you will deliver Israel by ny hand, as you have said, I am going to lay a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you hadve said." And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Then Gideon said to God, "Do not let your anger burn against me, let me speak one more time; let me, please, make trial with the fleece just once more; let it be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew." And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Questions for Reflection and Application

* Why did the angel call Gideon "a mighty man of valor"?

* Why did Gideon as for a second sign? Why did God oblige?

* What is God calling you to do that takes you outside your comfort zone? How have you responded to this call?

* Do you feel that God is patient with you? Why do you feel that way?

* Do you test God's patience? How?

Father, your extraordinary patience astounds me beyond measure - even after I act like Gideon, tentative and trying. Amen.