“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
– Judges 6:13
Can you relate to this plea? Have you ever wondered where God is in your life and why you are experiencing such hardships and struggles? You wait for God’s help but He seems as if He is silent and not working on your behalf.
This too is how Gideon felt. We are first introduced to Gideon in Judges 6 as a man threshing wheat in a winepress to protect his crops from the raids of the Midanites; the enemies of the Israelites. Their enemies constantly targeted their crops and livestock, making their lives a living hell. The reason that the Israelites were experiencing such turmoil was due to their disobedience. They worshipped idols (carved images) and did not cling to the commands of the Living God. Even in their disobedience, they cried to God for help and He extended His long arm of mercy. In fact, He sent a prophet to warn the people and hold them accountable for their actions, but they continued in their same old patterns. It was after this that the Angel of the Lord met Gideon where he was and chose him to deliver the Israelites.
This story reminds us that many times in life when calamity is upon us it is not because of the enemy, sometimes it is because of our own doing. It reminds us of the adage: we reap what we sow.
Like the children of Israel, we may be the ones shooting ourselves in the foot, kneeling to the ideals of idolatry. Yes, we know our God is one of mercy, but He is also a God of justice and righteousness. He upholds both. He does not share His glory with anyone. We have to recall that there are consequences for our actions. If we drive at 110 km/h in an 80 km/h zone, there is a likelihood we will be charged by the police, or end up in an accident. God sets parameters for us, not out of a need to restrict or stifle us as some may perceive. Rather, He does this out of a need to protect us. If God sets boundaries for our good, why do we think that stepping outside of them would reap better rewards? Our “consequence” is not always a form of punishment but one of discipline, a form of correction.
We believe Tyrone Edwards said it best when he said, “sinful and forbidden pleasures are like poisoned bread. They may satisfy appetite for the moment but there is death in them at the end.” Idolatry is death in the end.
It is important to note that an idol does not have to look like a carved, wooden figure. It can be anything or anyone that gets our faith and affection in place of God Himself. Nothing should compete against our faith in and affection towards God. If we say that God is the centre of our lives, we should not treat Him otherwise.
So, how do we guard against that? How can we ensure that we are not engaging in idolatry?
Firstly, we need to make God non-negotiable. God should be prioritised in our daily activities, thereby allowing our faith in and knowledge of Him to increase. This means not leaving the Bible study, prayer or devotional time until the last minute; rushing through because we are tired from having completed everything else in the day. We also should not neglect acts of service towards our neighbour in the name of busyness. We should not see spending time with God as just another task to check off on our to-do list.
Another practical thing we can do is to be a part of a community that holds us accountable and vice versa. We all have blindspots which must be called out on by people who mean us well. Friendships are not meant to coddle us but to challenge us. Even Scripture reminds us in Proverbs 27:17 that, “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
God desires and deserves the best of us. Like Gideon, we need to be humble, remove our idols and serve the Lord with our words and actions.
This collaborative piece was done with Christina Barrett. Christina is an insightful blogger at faithwriterja.com. Check out her captivating material that effortlessly weaves wisdom and creativity. She is also a dedicated educator, a foodie with an adventurous palate, and an aspiring gym rat, constantly pursuing a healthy lifestyle. Above all, she loves the Lord passionately and cherishes her family with unwavering devotion.
Photos by Anna Might Take Pics