God Calls and Commissions Us for His Purpose

Judges 6:11-16, NRSV

As children of God, we have assurance that the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. We disobey Him and fail to adhere to His word, but He is compassionate and gracious. When Israel’s oppressors overran them, they destroyed Israel’s produce, leaving them impoverished without food or any livestock. Such a dire situation will bring you to your senses. You will remember the true and living God. These disobedient, prodigal children did and cried out to Him for help (vv.3-6).

You know most of us do not want chastisement. Well, God sent a prophet in response to His wayward children’s cry. He is a prayer-answering God. However, the prophet didn’t come to simply deliver them; he came with a word of chastisement from God. He reminded them of who God is and what He had done for them. Then the angel sealed the reprimand sharply, saying, “But you have not given heed to my voice” (v.10b). Gideon was hiding from the Midianites, beating out wheat in the winepress (v.11) when the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “The Lord is with you, you mighty warrior” (v.12).

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” (v.13).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” (v.14). He responded, “But sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (v.15). The Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike down the Midianites, every one of them” (v.16). Trust and obey God. He is not your problem. He is the answer to your problem. He calls and commissions us for His purpose. Give Him a hand clap of praise!