It is hard to figure out God. We do not see the world as He sees it. We do not see people as He sees them. We think that we see the whole picture, when, in realty, our lives are but a speck of sand on a beach of time. 

This is one reason Jesus was hated by the religious/political powers of His time. The Bible tells us that Jesus was followed by masses of people. Rarely, though, did Jesus spend time with those in power. Instead, he hobnobbed with fishermen, tax collectors, Roman soldiers, and women of ill-repute. He changed their lives. He frequently blessed the poor and the meek. He often scorned the rich and the powerful. He healed those without hope. 

He still does. God never changes. And Jesus never fails. 

Gideon was one such person. The Angel of the Lord told Gideon, “You shall save Israel from the hands of the Midianites.”

Gideon, is dumbfounded. He is not qualified to lead an army into war. “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” He is an unlikely choice (Judges 6:14-15 NKJV).

Gideon is remembered by history as a mighty and cunning warrior. Read his story, though, and you will see that he is neither. What made him shrewd and powerful is that he obeyed God’s Word and instructions. 

Feeling inadequate for the task God has given you? Fear Not, for God chooses the least among us so that His greatness may be easily seen. 

Have you ever experienced the overwhelming power of the Holy Spirit? Many years ago I attended a church retreat where the featured speaker was Elmer Schmelzenbach, a holiness missionary. He was in his mid-seventies and had served the Lord all his life. I had never met him, but when I saw him across the camp, I knew who he was, for the man’s face literally glowed.

I have known a few people like that, people who glow with the glory of God. 

On the other hand, the glory of God is said to be so powerful that any man who looks upon His face will die. That may be what Gideon was thinking when he met the Angel of the Lord. 

The Angel of the Lord, I should say here, is not an angel in the conventional sense. He is not described with wings and does not shoot arrows at star-crossed lovers. In spite of the fact that I chose the image of an angel to emphasize today’s text, the Angel of the Lord is believed to be a theophany, or a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus Christ. 

In the text (Judges 6), Gideon has seen God, or he thinks he has, and he asks the Lord to stay with him while he prepares a sacrifice. When the Angel of the Lord later consumes the sacrifice with fire, Gideon is convinced that this is indeed God. He trembles with fear. 
There are times when the presence and power of the Holy Spirit is so strong, we don’t know if we can bear it further. Fear Not, for we won’t die. 

Father, fill us daily with your Spirit, even to the point that we think we can bear no more. And, let that Spirit flow from us, compelling others to follow you.