The story of Gideon is the story of fear.  Gideon again and again expresses his fear of his enemies, his own townspeople, and of God Himself.  And while “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,”  this isn’t that kind of fear.  The fear that brings wisdom is the recognition of God’s otherness, supremacy, and rule in our own lives.  The fear of Gideon is more what we experience day to day; doubt, threat, and self-preservation.

Gideon begins his story by threshing wheat, an activity that requires the wind to be effective, in a winepress, a place created to be shielded from the wind.  How often does our fear make our efforts ineffective?

He then has a conversation with God where all he expressed is doubt, in God’s goodness, in himself, in his people, and in God’s promises.  How often does our fear lead us to doubt both God and ourselves?

Accepting God’s command to destroy the altar of the false god Baal in his hometown, he does so at night out of fear of the anger of those he lives with.  How often does our fear make us obey God’s commands but in a way that doesn’t put us at risk?

Gideon requires not one sign from God but two in order to prove Himself to Gideon, and patiently God obliges.  How often do we wait to obey God until we’re sure of the outcome rather than trusting Him, all because of our fear?

God recognizes that Gideon’s army is following the lead of their leader – they are terrified of the coming battle.  So God sends the fearful home, promising to conquer Midian with whatever is left.  How often does our fear “send us home” from serving God?

Gideon still doesn’t believe God will give him victory, so God sends a dream to his enemies to encourage Gideon.  How often has God reassured you in the midst of your fear, reminding you of past victories or promising future ones?

Finally, Gideon and his 300 warriors shout, “boo” at the Midianites and they all turn and kill themselves.  The primary victory comes without Gideon or his people lifting a sword.  How often has God won your victories without you having to do anything but obey?

God must be so patient with His people.  And often disappointed.  Again and again, we turn away from God, get ourselves in trouble, ask for His help and when He does, we turn back… temporarily.  This is the basic story of God’s people throughout time, and the core of the entire book of Judges.  In fact, it’s even got a name: the Sin Cycle.  It begins as each section of Judges begins: “The people of God turned away from God and began worshiping other things.”  For them, it was usually Baal and Asherah.  For us it can be ourselves, or power, or control, or comfort.  Whatever it is, it leads us away from God and soon we are in trouble.

The Midianites or the Caananites were often the cause of the trouble for the Israelites.  For us, our trouble comes in doubt or debt, in pain or broken relationships, in addictions or attacks.  No matter who we are, when we get into trouble we usually turn to God for help.  And in patience, and disappointment, God comes to the rescue.  Not always right away – sometimes the wait is the lesson – but eventually, God rescues us.

And in gratitude, we follow and obey God… for a while.  But soon, the distractions of this world lead us away again, and the cycle starts all over again.  How long this cycle lasts varies, but usually it lasts as long as it takes for us to turn back to God.

Where are you in the cycle right now?  And how patient has God been with you?  And how much must He love you?