Unwavering Trust
The story is told in the book Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul, “It was a chilly fall day when the farmer spied a little sparrow lying on its back in the middle of his field. The farmer stopped his plowing, looked down at the frail, feathered creature, and inquired, ‘Why are you lying upside down like that?’
“I heard the sky is going to fall today,” replied the bird.
“The old farmer chuckled, ‘And I suppose your spindly little legs can hold up the sky?’
“One does what one can,’ replied the courageous sparrow.”(1)
I’m always amazed at how God uses spindly little humans to accomplish things for Him.
In Judges 6-8, we find the story of Gideon, who led an army of 300 in defeating an army of 135,000. I’d call that a spindly little army.
To make matters worse, Gideon had contracted a pretty severe case of hope deferred. In his day, Israel, because of their idolatry, was being severely oppressed by the Midianites. Sometimes, we’re responsible for the hope deferred in our lives; sometimes, we’re a victim. This situation had clearly been created by the Israelites themselves. God, however, is a God of great mercy, and He was about to forgive their sin and bring deliverance, with just a shout: “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.”
As He often does, God chose as His instrument a person who appeared to be very unqualified for the task. At this point in his life, Gideon certainly wasn’t a man of great faith. In fact, when the Lord spoke by faith and called him a “valiant warrior” (Judges 6:12), Gideon’s unbelief became very obvious; his response was filled with cynicism.
“Then Gideon said to him, ‘O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, “Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?” But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.’” Judges 6:13
Gideon and Israel’s heartsick, hope-deferred condition had progressed to the point where, for the most part, they did not expect God to come through for them. All of their faith and devotion had been transferred to the false gods of Baal and Asherah. Gideon’s father actually had a shrine to Baal in his backyard (Judges 5:24). We often transfer our trust, as well, though often in more subtle ways. Without setting up literal idols, we sometimes waver in our devotion to God and place our trust in other people, money, government, drugs, alcohol, pleasures, success, etc.
Notice, however, the kind and forgiving response of the Lord to Gideon and the Israelites. He was about to reveal Himself as the God who forgives and heals.
Gideon had decided to offer a sacrifice to the Lord, and when he did, fire sprang up from the rock on which he had laid the sacrifice and consumed the offering. Gideon, of course, was terrified by this awesome display of power. The angelic messenger then said something very significant and important to him, “Peace [shalom] to you” (Judges 6:23).
Most of us have a very limited understanding of the word shalom, often translated as “peace.” While it does indeed mean tranquility or calmness, the word carries a far deeper meaning than that. The basic concept of this word is to be whole. As Zodhiates says, “It is a sense of well-being... to be unharmed or unhurt... it expressed completeness, harmony, and fulfillment.”(2)
This makes what the angel said to Gideon much more meaningful: “Wholeness to you, Gideon.” While the Lord may indeed have been attempting to alleviate Gideon’s temporary fear, I believe he was also speaking healing to him in an overall sense. And Gideon was so moved by the experience that he built an altar and called it Jehovah Shalom (Judges 6:24), which became a significant redemptive name of the Lord. It means, “The Lord is our wholeness.” Gideon did not build an altar to commemorate a simple word of brief comfort.
The Lord had broken hope-deferred off Gideon. His name and powerful presence had healed him. God always desires to visit us in our troubled times and do the same. He wants to invade our insecurity, despair, and disillusionment, speaking words of wholeness to us. The words may come through a sermon, a friend, Scripture, or the quiet voice of the Lord in our hearts. But of this we can be certain: God always has a healing word for us.
For Sherry, in the following story, Jehovah Shalom came in a most unusual way. “While visiting another city, she noticed a gloriously beautiful sunset. Wanting to share it with someone, she asked a clerk in the nearby store to come outside. Obviously puzzled, the woman followed her outside.
“Just look at that sunset!” Sherry said. ‘God's in His heaven, and all’s right with the world.’ After briefly enjoying the beauty, the clerk went back inside, and Sherry left.
“Four years later, Sherry had hit hard times. She was recently divorced, on her own for the first time, living in reduced circumstances, and feeling very discouraged. Then she came across a magazine article about a woman who had once been in similar circumstances. This woman also had come to the end of a marriage, after which she had moved to a strange community, working at a job she didn’t like, and was struggling. Then, something profound had happened. A lady came into her store and asked her to step outside. Then the unknown woman pointed to the sunset and said, ‘God’s in His heaven, and all’s right with the world.’ The truth in that statement had turned the clerk’s life around.
“Imagine Sherry’s shock when she read her own words! Her words of encouragement had come full circle, and were used by God to change her perspective and lift her from despair.”(3)
Amazing.
God knows what we need to hear and when we need to hear it. Keep listening.
Pray with me:
Father, we sometimes feel ganged up on by life. Circumstances pile on, the odds are stacked against us and we feel like Gideon. In those times, we need to be reminded that You have power over ANY number of enemy soldiers. “The sword of the Lord,” Your powerful words in our mouths are the key to victory.
Remind the praying remnant today that their “spindly” prayer legs, when infused with Holy Spirit’s power, can accomplish much. Remind them to look at Your strength and listen to Your promises, NOT at the actions and words of the enemy. Satan lies. He bluffs. He distorts.
Like Israel, America has turned from You and placed her trust elsewhere. We, like Gideon and his fellow countrymen, have worshipped Baal. We are now paying a horrible price for this, and at times the odds against escaping his hold seem overwhelming. But we look to You, Jehovah Shalom. We turn our gaze to the sky and say, “All is well.”
We believe You are coming to save and make us whole, Yahweh, just as You did in Israel’s day. We believe You are coming to deliver and liberate, here and around the world. And we ask for this in the great name we love and worship, Jesus. Amen.
Our decree:
We decree that the sword of the Lord in our mouths routs the powers of darkness.
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
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Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Heather McNamara, Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul (Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 1999), p. 58.
Spiros Zodhiates, ed., Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible–New American Standard, ref. ed. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1990), 1785.
Canfield, Hansen, and McNamara, Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul, pp. 142-143.
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