January 25th - Reflection

Judges 7:12-22 (NRSV)
God leads Gideon to victory

The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the east lay along the valley as thick as locusts; and their camels were without number, countless as the sand on the seashore. When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling a dream to his comrade; and he said, "I had a dream, and in it a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell; it turned upside down, and the tent collapsed." And his comrade answered, "This is no other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, a man of Israel; into his hand God has given Midian and all the army."

When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped; and he returned to the camp of Israel, and said, "Get up; for the Lord has given the army of Midian into your hand." After he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put trumpets into the hands of all of them, and empty jars, with torches inside the jars, he said to them, "Look at me, and do the same; when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets around the whole camp, and shout, 'For the Lord and for Gideon!'"

So Gideon and the hundred who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. So the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars, holding in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow; and they cried, "A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!" Every man stood in his place all around the camp, and all the men in camp ran; they cried out and fled. When they blew the three hundred trumpets, the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel meholah, by Tabbath.

Reflection
Gideon heard the words of a dream. The dream seemed to be the word of God to begin the battle. But first...Gideon worshipped. Gideon went to worship and prayer with God for guidance and direction, for clarification and priority. Then to battle with three companies of one-hundred men. What a peculiar battle this was. Trumpets, jars and torches for weapons. This was a war that God would fight.

We draw into battle sometimes each day and at other times once in a while. In prayer and worship we can go to God to seek guidance and counsel. Don't expect the answer to be anything like what you had imagined or planned. But take the guidance of God and faithfully follow it. Even when that guidance seems odd, follow it. For the point is that God wants you to follow in faith and trust the outcome to Him. That faith and trust establishes a wonderful relationship with God that leads you back to him in more worship and prayer. It's a beautiful cycle of faith! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, I come to you and worship you. I hear your Word spoken. I read your Word in the Bible. I see your Word each day in the action you take in the world and through others. You are God and can do anything. May I take your Word and faithfully follow your plan for my life. I place my trust and faith in you. Today...tomorrow...and forever. --- Amen