Today in chapter 6 we see that once more the people have turned away from the path God had pointed out to them, and God has allowed them to suffer the consequences of their actions. But God also being a God of mercy he once more chooses someone, someone of lowly station to be their champion, Gideon
Gideon encounters the angel of the Lord and like all of us he experiences doubt about what he is seeing and he asks for a sign. What is unusual is what accompanies the request.
give me a sign that you are speaking with me. Do not depart from here, I pray you, until I come back to you and bring out my offering and set it before you.” He answered, “I will await your return.
It is the reverse of how we would normally act. Our usual human reaction would be to wait and then when we get our sign we might make some gesture of thanksgiving. Gideon makes his offering first. Then he receives the sign. While he has questions, his basic stance is still one of trust, one of faith. We are always going to face questions and doubts, and the God who made us understands that and does not hold it against us. But even in the midst of our doubts what is our basic stance toward God? Do we let the doubt take over or do we remain people of faith? Even as he questioned Gideon continued to make his offering in faith. And as God always does, God responded by giving him the sign he needed to move him forward on the path.
If we look, we too can see angels, those messengers of God that he sends to remind us that we too are his instruments. And even in moments of doubt, let us imitate Gideon, and continue to act in faith.
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