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Readings: Judges 2:1-8, 11-19; 6:1, 6, 11-16, 36-40; 7:1-23; Luke 18:7-8
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
There’s scaredy-cat Gideon threshing his wheat down in a hole. A winepress in the ground. He’s just minding his own business trying to find a bite to eat before the big bad schoolyard bully Midianites come and take away his lunch money. And the Angel of Lord—the second person of the Trinity, God in human form, Jesus before taking on our flesh—strolls up, plops Himself down under the tree by that wine press, and pears down at Gideon and says, “The Lord is with you, oh mighty man of valour.” (Jdg. 6:11-12) Our Lord loves irony. Yet this is the key to the story of Gideon. Gideon is not what the Lord says. Yet the Lord says, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel.” (Jdg. 6:14) The Lord’s Word creates what is not. (Gen. 1:3) Gideon is a scrawny, fraidy-cat pipsqueak. The Lord declares him mighty. Gideon has no strength. The Lord declares him strong. This is not wishful thinking. This is the Lord who called heaven and earth into existence by His Word. (Gen. 1) He who is the Word of God. (John 1:1-3, 14) What He says happens. (Jdg. 6:34)
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
There’s scaredy-cat Gideon threshing his wheat down in a hole. A winepress in the ground. He’s just minding his own business trying to find a bite to eat before the big bad schoolyard bully Midianites come and take away his lunch money. And the Angel of Lord—the second person of the Trinity, God in human form, Jesus before taking on our flesh—strolls up, plops Himself down under the tree by that wine press, and pears down at Gideon and says, “The Lord is with you, oh mighty man of valour.” (Jdg. 6:11-12) Our Lord loves irony. Yet this is the key to the story of Gideon. Gideon is not what the Lord says. Yet the Lord says, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel.” (Jdg. 6:14) The Lord’s Word creates what is not. (Gen. 1:3) Gideon is a scrawny, fraidy-cat pipsqueak. The Lord declares him mighty. Gideon has no strength. The Lord declares him strong. This is not wishful thinking. This is the Lord who called heaven and earth into existence by His Word. (Gen. 1) He who is the Word of God. (John 1:1-3, 14) What He says happens. (Jdg. 6:34)
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