Morning Devotional

May 8, 2005
"Warriors" (Part 2)
    by Don Emmitte

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"But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian." The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" (Judges 6:13-14 NLT).

I suppose when you are the weakest person in the weakest clan, you have to learn to be polite; especially to an angel that appears from nowhere. Gideon politely asks the angel, “Where is God? What’s He been up to? Why are we suffering the way we have?”

I think all of us might be able to relate in one way or another to this feeling. Sometimes, even when we have seen the mighty acts of God in the past, we are so caught up in the midst of difficulty that it is a challenge to remember that God is there. That’s when we need to simply ask. Ask, “What’s the deal?” Do you realize that God can handle your “whys” or “why nots”? He can handle your “how comes" and your “hows." God can even handle your anger towards Him. God understands our frailty. He understands that we can’t always understand. He knows that we are incapable of always seeing things from a heavenly perspective. Just because Gideon questioned God did not make him ineligible for God’s service or keep him from the blessings of God. We should approach God with reverence and honor, but when life is caving in around you and you feel that God is responsible, be honest with God. He already knows your heart, so let Him hear it from you.

The purposes of God often develop slowly because His grand designs are never hurried. The great New England preacher Phillips Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner. At times, however, even he suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion. "What's the trouble, Mr. brooks?" he asked. "The trouble is that I'm in a hurry, but God isn't!" Haven't we felt the same way many times? Some of the greatest missionaries of history devotedly spread the seed of God's Word and yet had to wait long periods before seeing the fruit of their efforts. William Carey, for example, labored 7 years before the first Hindu convert was brought to Christ in Burma, and Adoniram Judson toiled 7 years before his faithful preaching was rewarded. In western Africa, it was 14 years before one convert was received into the Christian church. In New Zealand, it took 9 years; and in Tahiti, it was 16 years before the first harvest of souls began. Thomas a Kempis described that kind of patience in these words: "He deserves not the name of patient who is only willing to suffer as much as he thinks proper, and for whom he pleases. The truly patient man asks (nothing) from whom he suffers, (whether) his superior, his equal, or his inferior...But from whomever, or how much, or how often wrong is done to him, he accepts it all as from the hand of God, and counts it gain!" 

If you’re having trouble waiting, ask God about it. He won’t be angry. And, he will give you an answer with power to bring peace and purpose to your life.