A persistent God

Most of us know the story of Gideon and his small group of warriors and their lamps.  But what is curious to me is how the story of Gideon really starts.   God comes to Gideon with his call. . . . “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”

And Gideon responds in a manner that is almost puzzling. “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

The first thing Gideon does is question God.  In fact we might go beyond that and say that Gideon actually blames God for the horrible things happening to Israel at the hands of its enemies. "You abandoned us God!"

An interesting human trait...

Funny how so often the reason for our struggles is right there before our eyes…

And how often our first response is to put the responsibility, the burden of what is happening on God

Indeed, sometimes we actually blame God

Blame God for not being there

For not doing something

We get angry at God….

God caused this mess

God didn’t protect

This is normal and predictable

Why do you think we do this?

I don’t think it lies in anything dark

Or sinister

Or bad

It is just that we have so much trouble trusting

We are so fearful

So we say to ourselves… maybe God isn’t what I thought, God isn’t powerful, or loving

Or maybe it is worse.  Maybe God is what I fear… stern, judgmental, angry….

Maybe God isn’t really on my side

Maybe God doesn’t really love me

I suspect a lot of this comes out of that part of us that thinks we have to earn God’s love

Have to deserve it.  And our fear, our knowledge that we don’t…..

Whatever is going on, what it does is take us to a place where in fear

We start questioning and doubting

And essentially push God away

There is that doubt, that barrier, that reluctance to be open to God.  That reluctance to trust!

Good thing God understands …..

And what is amazing is what God does with our doubt, our fear, our reluctance.

The patience of God is staggering….

He just keeps coming – with his love, with his power, with his desire to create hope and healing

I had a dog named Hannah.  Hannah loved to chase pinecones.  She was insatiable, and amazingly persistent.  No matter how many strategies you would use to move Hannah away from her desire to chance and retrieve pinecones, or any other suitable object, she would remain undeterred….

Dog – goD  

God has that persistence

That singleness of purpose

To love us, cherish us, empower us, and use us

I am so glad God does!